Quarterfinal: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Zheng Qinwen
Arthur Ashe Stadium — Day Session — First Match
- She'll be No. 1 in the WTA rankings on Monday, but first, Sabalenka seeks a berth in her third straight US Open semifinal against first-time Grand Slam quarterfinals Zheng inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in today's first women's match. The No. 2 seed has been in fine form for the duration of the tournament, having dropped just 16 games in eight sets played through four rounds so far.
- In the other corner is Zheng, the 2022 WTA Newcomer of the Year, who knocked off 2022 US Open finalist Ons Jabeur in the fourth round. The No. 23 seed is bidding to be the third Chinese woman to reach the US Open semifinals in the last 10 years, joining Peng Shuai in 2014 and Li Na in 2013; that is the best performance by a Chinese player in singles in Queens all-time. At 20 years old, she's the second-youngest of the eight quarterfinalists, after 19-year-old Coco Gauff.
- Sabalenka is the first woman to reach the quarterfinals at all four Grand Slams in the same season since Serena Williams in 2016. She also likes playing Grand Slam quarterfinals: Sabalenka is 6-0 in her career in Grand Slam semifinals.
- While Sabalenka and Zheng have never played before, but late-stage Grand Slam experience certainly favors Sabalenka in this matchup: Zheng is playing in just her second US Open, and reached the third round last year in her debut. Overall, this is just her eighth career Grand Slam main-draw appearance. But Zheng is staying grounded, despite her New York star turn: "I prefer [to] just stay in the normal level that I was," she said after beating Jabeur. "Don't treat those things like amazing. I mean, just treat them normal. Just focus on where I am now day by day."
- After her fourth-round win against Daria Kasatkina, Sabalenka heaped praise on her younger rival: "It's like for her nothing to lose, so she's playing at her best. She played great tennis against Ons. I haven't watched her previous matches, but she's playing great tennis right now. The trickiest part that she's moving well, playing some heavy shots. I have to be physically and mentally ready that it's going to be some winners against me on that match. I just have to focus on myself more than on her, on my game. I know if I'll bring my tennis there, I have chance to win this match."
