Aryna Sabalenka, soon to be world No. 1, will advance to the US Open semifinals

Tennis

By means of Brian Lewis

Aryna Sabalenka has done the impossible: She has flown under the radar even though she will soon become the world’s top-ranked player.

And after he advanced to the semifinals with a dominant 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Zheng Qinwen on Wednesday, he hopes to add to the title of US Open champ.

“I just gave myself one more chance to do better in the semis,” Sabalenka said on court after her win. “Of course I’m happy [to be world No. 1] and it is very important for me and my family; but I still have things to do in New York. I try to focus on my game and think about becoming world No. 1 after the US Open.”

While the focus is on others like Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek – whose top spot Sabalenka will secure next week – Sabalenka has been racking up win after win in machine-like fashion.

“I have to fight for it. I know if I’m there, if I fight for my dream, I know I’ll get it,” Sabalenka said. “After going through a tough time last season, I just reminded myself that I’ve been through a tough situation, and I can do anything.

“That really helps me stay strong and motivates me.”

After Sabalenka served earlier this year, she brought in a biometrics expert to solve the issue.

“I’ve had some tough losses this year. But we can’t lose; we’re learning,” Sabalenka said. “I have a strong belief that all the tough matches I’ve lost will help me in the future in other difficult battles.”

That fight is suitable for the Girl with the Tiger Tattoo.

The tattoo on his left arm refers not only to his 1998 birth year, which is the year of the Earth Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, but also to his toughness.

This week, performance coach Jason Stacy warned, “be careful when you put a predator in a corner” referring to his being No.

“Jason just came from, how to say, he’s a fighter, jujitsu, and they really like to talk,” Sabalenka said, laughing.

“People will try to chase me and take me, but this is just an additional motivation for me. Seeing that they are really trying their best to beat me, it is an additional power and strength for me to continue on keep playing, keep pushing, keep getting better.

Sabalenka became the only active woman to reach the semis of all four majors in a single year since Serena Williams in 2016.

After losing in the semifinals of the last two US Opens, Sabalenka has not dropped a set this year and has lost 21 matches overall through five matches.

“I will do everything to stay until the end,” said Sabalenka, who hit 17 winners and never faced a break point.

Next on Thursday is the winner of the game then on Wednesday between No. 17 American Madison Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, or Marketa Vondrousova.