Aryna Sabalenka shines in first match since clinching No. 1, demolishes Daria Kasatkina at US Open

FLASHBACK: Sabalenka was a win away from world No. 1 at Wimbledon when she reached the semifinals.

NEW YORK—Aryna Sabalenka wore the crown well in her first match since clinching world No. 1, racing through a 2023 US Open fourth-round encounter with Daria Kasatkina, 6-1, 6-3 to reach the last eight in Flushing Meadows for a third straight year.

The two-time US Open semifinalist was assured of the top spot following top seed Iga Swiatek’s exit to Jelena Ostapenko early Monday morning, and wasted little time in widening the gap between herself and the Pole with an emphatic one hour and 14-minute win over the No. 13 seed on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I was worried I would be distracted by this news, so I tried to stay focused and didn't want to lose a point," she told Rennae Stubbs during her on-court interview.

"I find out this morning," she added in her post-match press conference. "I just opened my phone and I was just like, 'Guys, I have match today, I have things to take care of. Thank you so much for all the support, for all the messages.' I didn't ask for any of the messages because I was trying to stay focused on the game, don't let this news distract me. I answered everybody only now. But, yeah, it was nice morning to wake up."

Sabalenka has stood on the precipice of world No. 1 for much of this season, chasing Swiatek through the clay- and grass-court swings; at Wimbledon, she stood two games from No. 1 when she led Ons Jabeur by a set and a break in the semifinals, but bowed out in three sets. Needing to at least match Swiatek’s result at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Sabalenka effectively became the 29th woman to lead the WTA rankings when she dropped just two games to Clara Burel in the third round.

The No. 2 seed, who admitted to watching some of Swiatek-Ostapenko before going to bed, began her fourth round with Kasatkina in similar fashion, shaking off an early break of serve to roar through the next six games, putting herself up a set and 2-0 up on player who beat her on hard courts from a set down last summer.

Sabalenka avenged the defeat two weeks ago at the Western & Southern Open, and continued making in-roads on Kasatkina’s serve, only allowing the player and part-time YouTuber just one hold by the time she herself was serving for the match.

Striking a whopping 31 winners to 23 unforced errors, Sabalenka put on an exhibition of power and precision for a gobsmacked Ashe Stadium, who tried in vain to will Kasatkina into the match. Kasatkina twice rallied from a set down earlier in the tournament—once to American Alycia Parks and again against 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin—and though she put on a brave last stand, Sabalenka proved too strong on return, converting her first match point by forcing a Kasatkina backhand error.

Awaiting her in the last eight is Zheng Qinwen, who knocked out 2022 finalist Ons Jabeur in straight sets earlier Monday afternoon; it will be their first meeting.

"It's like for her nothing to lose, so she's playing at her best," said Sabalenka. "She played great tennis against Ons. I haven't watched her previous matches, but, yeah, she's playing great tennis right now. I mean, the trickiest part that she's moving well, playing some heavy shots. I have to be physically and mentally ready that it's going to be some winners against me on that match.

"I just have to focus on myself more than on her, on my game. I know if I'll bring my tennis there, I have chance to win this match."