Sabalenka fires 10 aces into US Open fourth round and stays focused on a three-peat

Aryna Sabalenka powered into the US Open fourth round with 10 aces and without facing a single break point, defeating Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4.

The Belarusian top seed has won three straight matches without dropping a set. Rakhimova resisted strongly in the second set, but Sabalenka broke through at 4-4 on her sixth break point and then served out the match.

“She is a true fighter. She put me under a lot of pressure in the second set, so I am very happy to win in straight sets,” Sabalenka said.

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She is a true fighter. She put me under a lot of pressure in the second set, so I am very happy to win in straight sets.

The defending champion, wearing a bright red-orange outfit, has reached the US Open fourth round for the fifth consecutive year. She will next meet Taylor Townsend, the American left-hander who competes in both singles and doubles, for a place in the quarterfinals.

Sabalenka has won four Grand Slam singles titles, including two consecutive US Open championships. After failing to win any of the first three major tournaments this year, she is determined to complete a third straight title in New York and avoid losing the world No. 1 ranking. “I completely block out the distractions from outside and focus on myself. If I give everything I have every moment, I know I have a chance,” she said.

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I completely block out the distractions from outside and focus on myself. If I give everything I have every moment, I know I have a chance.