Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will take on Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova in the US Open quarterfinals, after the two battled their way into the final eight with confident wins.
World number one Sabalenka broke down the defences of 96th-ranked American Taylor Townsend to win 6-4, 6-3 in a competitive contest that belied the gulf in their rankings, neutralising the inventive left-hander with a largely pristine display.
“It was really challenging, and going through tough challenges and overcoming those challenges, it definitely gives you strength and really strong belief that you can do it,” Sabalenka said of facing the unconventional doubles star.
“These kind of matches are really, really, really like a boost of confidence.”
Sixth seed Noskova showed her mettle in a 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Marta Kostyuk, collapsing to the court in relief after sealing the contest with an unreturnable serve on her sixth match point.
Linda Noskova beat Marta Kostyuk for the second-straight major. (Getty Images: Pete Staples/USTA)
The Czech’s run is her deepest at Flushing Meadows and continues a remarkable season in which she claimed her maiden grand slam title at the All England Club.
The victory over Kostyuk was her second straight at the slams after Noskova came out on top in their Wimbledon semifinal, and it was almost another straight-sets affair as Noskova had two match points on serve at 5-4 in the second set, but Kostyuk rattled off four straight games to force a decider.
Noskova got another chance to serve for the match at 5-4 in the third set and missed three more match points before closing it out after two hours and 27 minutes.
American third seed Jessica Pegula will close the schedule at Louis Armstrong Stadium against a familiar foe, having beaten Romanian Sorana Cirstea three times before, most recently during her run to the Cincinnati final.
Pegula’s compatriot Emma Navarro plays Anna Kalinskaya in the final match of the night on Ashe.
Reuters
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