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<\/p>\nUS Open 2025<\/p>\n
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September<\/p>\n
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app<\/p>\n
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Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka says her formidable tie-break record comes down to “trust” in her game as she beat Canada’s Leylah Fernandez to reach the US Open last 16.<\/p>\n
Top seed Sabalenka secured a 6-2 7-6 (7-2) victory over 2021 runner-up Fernandez in Friday’s night session at Flushing Meadows<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old Belarusian continues her quest to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to achieve back-to-back titles in New York.<\/p>\n
Success in the second set against Fernandez was Sabalenka’s 18th consecutive winning tie-break.<\/p>\n
“When I get to the tie-break I know that there is no time for doubts and I just have to go for my shots,” Sabalenka said.<\/p>\n
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“I’m just reminding myself that I have to trust my game. I have a pretty good feeling.<\/p>\n
“I’m trying to stick to the plan of the game, and trying to stay aggressive and put as much pressure as I can on my opponent.”<\/p>\n
Sabalenka’s focus also did not waver as the crowd on Louis Armstrong Stadium erupted at a change of ends – when they saw a wedding proposal on the big screen.<\/p>\n
“It was a very sweet moment, but I was just trying not to start smiling because it’s very cute. I was just trying to keep focusing on my game,” said the three-time major champion.<\/p>\n
With a smile, she added: “I don’t want this kind of proposal. But I looked at my boyfriend. No pressure.”<\/p>\n
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Next Sabalenka goes on to face Spanish surprise package Cristina Bucsa.<\/p>\n
Bucsa, 28, reached the fourth round of a major for the first time, fighting back to knock out Belgian 19th seed Elise Mertens in a 3-6 7-5 6-3 victory.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, top-10 seeds Jasmine Paolini and Emma Navarro saw their title bids ended by a pair of Czech former Wimbledon champions.<\/p>\n
Marketa Vondrousova, who won at the All England Club in 2023, beat Italian seventh seed Paolini 7-6 (7-4) 6-1, while her successor Barbora Krejcikova saw off American 10th seed Emma Navarro 4-6 6-4 6-4.<\/p>\n
Pegula holds off Azarenka fightback to win<\/p>\n
American Jessica Pegula had to dig deep to beat Victoria Azarenka in the US Open third round and keep alive her hopes of winning a career-first Grand Slam on home soil.<\/p>\n
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In a 6-1 7-5 victory, 2024 finalist Pegula cruised through the first set before former world number one Azarenka fought back valiantly despite struggling with a leg injury.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a surprise 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 defeat by world number 60 Marketa Vondrousova.<\/p>\n
Paolini was beaten in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon last year, but has failed to progress beyond the fourth round at any Slam this year.<\/p>\n
Pegula, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat by Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s New York final, will face either her compatriot Ann Li or Australia’s world number 126 Priscilla Hon in the fourth round.<\/p>\n
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“I just tried to focus on going back to my strategy, things that went well in the first set,” said the 31-year-old when asked how she arrested her second-set slide.<\/p>\n
“I thought I moved and scrambled really well, I wanted to make the match physical.<\/p>\n
“My results haven’t been too amazing the last couple of months, so to be able to turn it around was awesome.”<\/p>\n
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Pegula has won all three of her matches at the US Open in straight sets [Getty Images]<\/p>\n
The fourth seed produced three aces and 10 winners in an opening set in which Azarenka committed four double faults and won just 36% of her first serves.<\/p>\n
Yet the 36-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner looked her old self in the second set, as she broke serve and then saved a break point to solidify her lead.<\/p>\n
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However, three consecutive breaks followed as mistakes crept into both players’ games.<\/p>\n
Azarenka saved three break points before Pegula converted the fourth, before the American made two glaring forehand misses after double-faulting to hand control back to the Belarusian.<\/p>\n
The pendulum swung back in Pegula’s favour one final time as she broke in the final game to claim a place in the last 16.<\/p>\n
“Obviously she picked up her level in the second set and I just thought she started serving really well, she had a bunch of aces to get herself out of those return games, and she’s always a great returner which puts the pressure on your first serves,” Pegula said of Azarenka.<\/p>\n
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“We train together a lot in Florida, so we know each other’s game really well. I could tell she was struggling a bit physically, so I wanted to keep her moving and play aggressive.”<\/p>\n
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