Aryna Sabalenka says she “just does not want to leave” as she bids to reach a fourth successive US Open semi-final.
The world number two plays China’s seventh seed Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-final on Tuesday – a repeat of this year’s Australian Open final, which was won by Sabalenka.
Sabalenka reached the final in New York last year, losing to Coco Gauff, but Gauff’s fourth-round exit this year leaves the Belarusian as the favourite on an increasingly open side of the draw.
“I really enjoying playing on these big stadiums,” the two-time Australian Open champion said.
“I feel all the support. I just don’t want to leave early here.
“I just want to stay as long as I can and enjoy this beautiful court and beautiful atmosphere.”
In the men’s quarter-finals, home hopes Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe bid to end the 21-year wait for an American men’s singles champion.
Fritz faces in-form fourth seed Alexander Zverev while Tiafoe takes on Grigor Dimitrov.
Badosa makes long-awaited debut on Ashe
Sabalenka’s opponent Zheng is looking to continue a breakout year which saw the 21-year-old claim Olympic singles gold last month.
Their match will open the night session (from 00:00 BST), with Zheng having come through the latest finish for a women’s US Open match in the fourth round against Croatian Donna Vekic.
Before that Paula Badosa, who earlier this year considered retirement as she struggled to recover from a back injury, meets Gauff’s victor Emma Navarro.
Former world number two Badosa is appearing in her first US Open quarter-final, having risen up the rankings with victory in Washington last month and a run to the semi-finals in Cincinnati.
Now ranked 29nd, she was 140th in the world in May.
“It was really bad,” the Spaniard said. “There were moments that I didn’t know what to do.
“In my mind I was thinking, maybe I should quit because if I’m not in the highest level, I don’t want to play this sport.”
The meeting with Navarro will be Badosa’s first match at Flushing Meadows’ Arthur Ashe Stadium – a court American Navarro played on for the first time against Gauff.
Thirteenth seed Navarro – who was born in New York City – had not made it beyond the second round of a Grand Slam at the start of this year.
However, she followed a run to the third round at the Australian Open with the fourth round at the French Open and a quarter-final showing at Wimbledon.
Can Fritz or Tiafoe end American wait?
The men’s draw also looks open after surprise defeats for 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Australia Open champion Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev, who won the title in New York in 2021, are in the top half of the draw, leaving Fritz, Zverev, Tiafoe and Dimitrov in the bottom.
Tiafoe, seeded 20th this year, reached the semi-finals in 2022, where he lost in five sets to Alcaraz, while 12th seed Fritz has not progressed from any of his four Grand Slam quarter-finals to date.
There has not been an American winner of the US Open men’s singles since Andy Roddick in 2003.
“In the past, I’ve been very, very excited, to make quarter-finals at Slams,” Fritz said.
“I’m at the point now where I’m still happy to make them but I wouldn’t be happy with it ending here.
“I am at the point where I really want more than that.”
His opponent, Germany’s Zverev, reached the final of the French Open this year and at Flushing Meadows in 2020, but was beaten by Fritz at Wimbledon this year.
“[Taylor] played an amazing tournament at Wimbledon,” Zverev said.
“Every time I play Taylor, it’s a tough battle, so I’m expecting nothing less, and hopefully it will be entertaining.”
