At the beginning of this year, while she was still just one player in a vast field of challengers, Aryna Sabalenka made her primary goal for the season clear. The Belarusian rarely does things by half measures and so she did not merely want to win her first grand slam tournament – she intended to catch Iga Swiatek and overtake her as the world No 1.
That goal may have finally been realised, but the work does not stop. With the No 1 ranking from next week secured, Sabalenka continued to march through the US Open draw as she overpowered Zheng Qinwen of China 6-1, 6-4 to return to the semi-finals for the third consecutive year.
