Aryna Sabalenka, the third-ranked player in the world, defeated her Belarusian rival Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4 in a thrilling quarterfinal clash at the Washington Open. The victory sets up a semifinal showdown with Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, fired eight aces in the match, while Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, showed no signs of the shoulder injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.
“Always tough battles against her,” Sabalenka said. “She always brings the best fight she can. I always enjoy playing against her. Just super happy to get through this tough match.”
Sabalenka, who lost last year’s US Open final to Coco Gauff, is looking to regain her form ahead of the upcoming Grand Slam. “I feel like with every set, I play better and better,” she said. “Hopefully I can just (keep) building my level and by the US Open, I’ll be 100 percent ready.”
In the other women’s semifinal, Spain’s Paula Badosa will face American Caroline Dolehide.
On the men’s side, top seed Andrey Rublev was eliminated by hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). Tiafoe will next face US fourth seed Sebastian Korda, who eliminated Australian seventh seed Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-2.
US second seed Ben Shelton advanced to the semifinals after Denis Shapovalov was defaulted for unsportsmanlike conduct. Shelton will face Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli in the semifinals.
