Aryna Sabalenka storms into quarterfinals in Beijing

Field Level Media|published: Wed 2nd October, 12:22 2024

Sep 7, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Aryna Sabalenka serves against Jessica Pegula (USA)(not pictured) in the women's singles final on day thirteen of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 18 Madison Keys in just 65 minutes on Wednesday at the China Open in Beijing.

It is the 10th consecutive WTA Tour quarterfinal for the Belarusian star. The reigning U.S. Open champion has tied her personal best with 15 consecutive wins -- dropping only one of 31 sets over that span.

Sabalenka improved her record to 4-1 against Keys by winning 84 percent of the points on her first serve (26 of 31) and converting five of seven break chances. Sabalenka finished with 14 winners and only eight unforced errors.

Sabalenka attributed her recent success to a calmer mindset on the court.

"In the past I had a lot of difficult things to face," Sabalenka said. "After you face certain things, you realize it's just sport. OK, if you're not going to win this match, what happens? Nobody going to die. You're not going to die. It's OK. You're going to go in another tournament and you're going to try your best in the next one.

"Before it felt like if I'm not going to win this match, something bad is going to happen. I'm going to die, whatever. But these kinds of thoughts create all of that pressure, all of that frustration, all of that crazy stuff. Nowadays I'm just working hard, I'm trying to improve myself every day. Every time I'm on the court, I'm trying to give my best."

Sabalenka also won 15 consecutive matches from 2020-21, a stretch that included her first Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open.

Up next for the World No. 2 is unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova, who defeated Spain's Cristina Bucsa 6-2, 6-0 in 69 minutes. Bucsa won only one of the 18 points against the first serve of Muchova, who never faced a break point.

Muchova is 2-1 against Sabalenka, winning their last two encounters.

Also moving on to the final eight is No. 5 seed Qinwen Zheng of China, who rallied past No. 34 Amanda Anisova for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 win. Zheng will meet No. 17 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia, who rolled to a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of No. 31 Magda Linette of Poland.

--Field Level Media