US Open 2022: Aryna Sabalenka progresses as new #1, defeats Daria Kasatkina to reach QF

Aryna Sabalenka dominates Daria Kasatkina in their US Open match, winning 6-1, 6-3. Sabalenka had nearly five times as many winners as Kasatkina.

In a dominant display, Aryna Sabalenka crushed her opponent, Daria Kasatkina, in the fourth round of the US Open. The second seed triumphed with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 victory after 75 minutes of intense gameplay. Despite Kasatkina's previous success in the tournament, she was unable to showcase her usual skills against Sabalenka.

Throughout the match, Sabalenka dismantled Kasatkina's tactics, leaving her unable to win a single service game in the first set. The lone game she managed to secure came from a break on Sabalenka's serve. Although the second set showed slight improvement for Kasatkina as she held her serve for the first time, she struggled to maintain consistency.

Despite saving a break point in the fifth game of the set, Kasatkina could not regain control, with Sabalenka leading 3-2 with a break. The only other games Kasatkina won were a result of service breaks. Her misery came to an end in the ninth game, as she could not hold her serve for the final time in the match and in the tournament.

Sabalenka outperformed Kasatkina with nearly five times as many winners. While Kasatkina managed seven winners, Sabalenka impressively delivered 31 winners. Additionally, Kasatkina made 23 unforced errors compared to Sabalenka's 11. As the highest-seeded player remaining in the tournament, Sabalenka secured her first win as the world number one.

Looking ahead to the quarter-finals, Sabalenka will face Qinwen Zheng. The 23rd seed caused an upset by defeating Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4 in their round-of-16 match. With Jabeur's loss, the 2023 US Open has now bid farewell to both its returning champion and finalist within two days.

Another surprising outcome was the defeat of third seed Jessica Pegula. Madison Keys, the 17th seed, triumphed over her higher-ranked opponent in an American face-off, winning 6-1, 6-3 in just over an hour. Keys' impenetrable game made Pegula appear inexperienced in comparison. Keys will now face Marketa Vondrousova with the opportunity to reach the semi-finals.

In a thrilling match, the ninth seed Vondrousova overcame challenges from both Keys and Pegula's compatriot, Peyton Stearns. After more than two hours of intense competition, Vondrousova emerged victorious with a 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 win, coming back from a set down.

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