Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, admitted she was pushed to her limit by Linda Noskova before securing her place in the US Open semi-finals. Sabalenka needed a deciding-set tie-break to overcome the Wimbledon winner with a score of 7-6 (1) 3-6 7-6 (10-7).
This hard-fought victory marks Sabalenka's 19th consecutive win at Flushing Meadows. The 29-year-old from Belarus blew a 5-2 lead in the first set, trailed 4-2 in the third, and was 2-0 down in the tie-break before a Noskova double-fault and a 107 mph second-serve ace helped her close out the match.
Sabalenka expressed her relief, stating, "I'm speechless right now because I was pushing myself to the limit in this match, especially in the third set." She added that the win has "boosted my energy and my confidence." For 21-year-old Noskova, who hit 46 winners to Sabalenka’s 42, it was a tough loss, ending her bid to win Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back.