- Fifth seed overcomes former world No 1 6-1 7-6 (4)
- ‘Somehow I was able to handle this level and win’
Under immense Arthur Ashe Stadium pressure and with a big opportunity for whoever was courageous enough to take it, Aryna Sabalenka’s destructive ball-striking was in full flow as she returned to the semi-final of the US Open for the second consecutive year, outplaying the former No 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4) to reach her third career grand slam semi-final.
In a tournament with only one grand slam champion remaining at the quarter-final stage, Iga Swiatek, few contenders arrived as desperate to finally clinch their first grand slam title. Pliskova, the 22nd seed, reached her first grand slam final at the US Open in 2016, eventually rising to world No 1. While she has been a constant presence in the late stages of grand slam tournaments since, she is still searching for her first title.