Key events
First set: Sabalenka* 6-6 Noskova (*denotes next server)
Credit to Noskova for the way she’s come back at Sabalenka, after admitting her last-16 win over Marta Kostyuk, when she recovered from missing double match point in the second set to eventually prevail on her sixth MP in the third, took a lot out of her emotionally. But she looks sharp and focused here, pushing Sabalenka into a tie-break when she dismissively holds to love.
First set: Sabalenka 6-5 Noskova* (*denotes next server)
It’s one-way for Sabalenka at 40-0 … until Noskova hits an improbable backhand return winner at full stretch for 40-15! That’s one for the highlights reel, perhaps the shot of the match so far. But Sabalenka holds from there, stopping the run of games against her, and Noskova must serve to stay in the set for the third time.
First set: Sabalenka* 5-5 Noskova (*denotes next server)
Noskova, perhaps a little over-excited after winning two successive games, pushes a forehand long on the opening point. But she wins the next two, lashing down a fifth ace in the process (Sabalenka has hit three), and then turns 30-15 into 40-30 with another ace. And Noskova makes it three games on the spin when Sabalenka snatches at a backhand! The Czech’s comeback is very much on.
Noskova breaks: Sabalenka 5-4 Noskova* (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka has lost from several winning positions this summer – and will that be on her mind as she serves for the opener? She wobbles at 15-all with a double fault – cue a huge roar of disgust from the defending champion, it’s a rare blot on her service book in this first set – and then Noskova nails a forehand winner right into the corner! It’s 15-40, the first break points for Noskova .. and Sabalenka smacks a forehand into the net! Perhaps the ghosts of grand slams past this year are still on Sabalenka’s mind.
First set: Sabalenka* 5-3 Noskova (*denotes next server)
A straightforward hold to 15 for Sabalenka leaves Noskova serving to stay in the first set at 5-2 down. Perhaps she can take some inspiration from Zheng’s escape acts from 5-0 behind in the first set against Iga Swiatek in the last 16 – and in the final set against Madison Keys in the third round. But at 15-all, Noskova misses a makeable volley, and Sabalenka then moves within two points of the set at 30-all. Noskova nudges to 40-30, is dragged back to deuce, but lives to fight another game in this set when she takes the next two points.
First set: Sabalenka* 4-2 Noskova (*denotes next server)
The luck is with Sabalenka on the opening point as a mis-hit return makes it 0-15. Which becomes 15-30. So with Noskova 1-4 and 15-30 down, desperate times call for desperate measures … and Noskova opts for the serve-volley, but it doesn’t come off. Sabalenka’s return is too hot for Noskova to handle on the fourth point, creating two break chances for Sabalenka at 15-40 … but her return loses its range and Noskova gamely takes the next four points, sealing the hold with an ace.
First set: Sabalenka 4-1 Noskova* (*denotes next server)
A prolonged rally at 15-all – that’s a rarity in this battle of first-strike hitting – with Sabalenka staying patient, not going for too much, eventually forcing Noskova to go for broke, and the Czech clunks into the tramlines. Undeterred, Noskova manages to get to 30-all for the second successive Sabalenka service game … but doesn’t advance any further. Sabalenka retains her advantage.
First set: Sabalenka* 3-1 Noskova (*denotes next server)
At 30-all, Sabalenka is applying more pressure on Noskova’s serve, but Sabalenka smacks a backhand return into the net and Noskova can breathe a little at 40-30. And the Wimbledon champion gets her side of the scoreboard moving when Sabalenka again errs with her return. The Arthur Ashe crowd – perhaps only about a half full so far – cheer loudly. They’re not against Sabelenka – as they were in the previous round when she played the American Taylor Townsend – but of course they want a close match.
First set: Sabalenka 3-0 Noskova* (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka concedes her first point for 0-15, after a Noskova backhand winner (that’ll help shake off any nerves for the Czech), and it’s soon 15-30. Sabalenka takes a little more time before the next point, blowing on her hand before serving, and it does the job as she batters away a backhand winner, also from the middle of the court. Who needs angles when you’ve got that much pace. And an ace, already her third of the match, brings up 40-30. And after an aborted ball toss, she consolidates the break with an unreturned serve. Sabalenka looks every inch the two-time defending champion right now, rather than the possibly soon-to-be-deposed world No 1 who has had such a shaky summer.
Sabalenka breaks: Sabalenka* 2-0 Noskova (*denotes next server)
Both of these players are big hitters – but they aren’t afraid to come to the net either – and both will be vying to become the frontrunner in the points. Sabalenka does that successfully in a short, sharp opening service game, holding to love, before Noskova drops 0-40 down. It’s quite hard to follow the ball because of the confusing contrast – with Noskova’s half of the court baked in sun, Sabalenka’s entirely in the shade. But it’s Sabalenka who puts Noskova firmly in the shade with an inside-out forehand winner from virtually no angle in the middle of the court on the second break point. It’s been a flawless start from the defending champion.
These two have played each other twice before, with both matches taking place on hard courts, three years ago in Adelaide and this year in the Indian Wells semi-final. Sabalenka won both in straight sets. But Noskova is a grand slam champion now, on an 11-match winning run at majors.
Despite Sabalenka’s struggles this summer, you can’t discount her numbers either: this is her sixth successive US Open quarter-final (she’s emulated Serena with that), she’s the two-time defending champion, and she’son an 18-match winning streak in New York. So something will have to give today.
Walking out into the sunshine on Arthur Ashe is Noskova, closely followed by Sabalenka, who once again is wearing her basketball-inspired orange mesh dress, which is accessorised by several hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bling. Noskova has opted for a more understated white number, with a blue and red trim.
With Rybakina v Zheng and Gauff v Andreeva to come in the quarter-finals tomorrow, the current holders of the four grand slam titles are all still in contention (Sabalenka, Rybakina, Andreeva and Noskova) – and just to add to the tournament’s finale, the four women who can leave Flushing Meadows with the world No 1 ranking are still in the mix too (Sabalenka, Rybakina, Gauff and Pegula – though if Rybakina defeats Zheng she’ll be guaranteed to become No 1 for the first time in her career). The strength at the top of the women’s game right now is seriously impressive.
Yesterday’s last-16 matches in the women’s draw were stacked with top match-ups, with Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff making statements of intent with clinical wins over Naomi Osaka and Iva Jovic respectively; Zheng Qinwen coming from 5-0 down for the second match in a row (has that ever happened before?!) to knock out Iga Swiatek in two absorbing sets; and Mirra Andreeva mounting her own comeback to defeat Anastasia Potapova in three.
On the men’s side, Alexander Zverev had a welcome pre-midnight finish for once, Alexander Blockx’s brilliant run continued despite injury and the rejuvenated Russian Karen Khachanov ended American hopes of having four home men in the quarter-finals after defeating Learner Tien from two sets to one down.
Simon Cambers has posted on social media that tickets for tonight’s Alcaraz v Shelton showdown are being sold on resale for a minimum of $500 up in the nosebleed seats to more than $11,0000 courtside. Yikes. Maybe we can blame the influencers for that too.
Today’s order of play – Arthur Ashe
11.30am New York/4.30pm BST
Women’s singles quarter-final
Aryna Sabalenka (1) v Linda Noskova (Cze, 6)
Men’s singles quarter-final
Frances Tiafoe (US, 11) v Alex Michelsen (US)
7pm New York/midnight BST
Women’s singles quarter-final
Jessica Pegula (US, 3) v Emma Navarro (US, 26)
Men’s singles quarter-final
Ben Shelton (US, 8) v Carlos Alcaraz (Sp, 2)
Preamble
Hello and welcome to our coverage of the US Open – day 10!
So here we are, at the quarter-final stage. Gone is the compelling chaos of matches taking place here, there and everywhere in the earlier rounds, and finally we can make do with only one pair of eyes, our gaze both shrinking and intensifying now we’re down to the one singles court.
Being the focus of that gaze is still something new to Linda Noskova, who’d reached only one grand slam quarter-final before her run to this summer’s Wimbledon title, but the 21-year-old Czech seems unfazed by the big stage and is unlikely to be intimidated by the task of facing Aryna Sabalenka today, especially with the defending champion’s aura not what it was. Yes, Sabalenka has reached the last eight with four straight-sets wins, but her prickly exchanges with reporters in the early rounds perhaps betrayed the pressure she is feeling, having not claimed a grand slam this year or a title since March amid several head-scratching defeats to much lower-ranked players. Sabalenka also knows her near two-year stretch as the world No 1 will end if Elena Rybakina wins one more match in New York. If Noskova can reproduce her Wimbledon form today, we’ll get to find out where Sabalenka’s level and head is really at.
They’re first on Arthur Ashe in the day session, before the American derby between Frances Tiafoe – two times a semi-finalist at his most successful major but never a finalist – and the surprise package Alex Michelsen, who’s reached his first slam quarter-final without even dropping a set. Tiafoe, at 28, has far more experience than the 22-year-old Californian but is also carrying heavier baggage; he knows the years of opportunity are passing by, while Michelsen has almost nothing to lose – that’s if you can call a grand slam quarter-final a free shot. Crowd loyalty will be divided but Tiafoe will hope his superior athleticism and momentum from his clutch win over Daniil Medvedev in the last 16 will see him through against a 6ft 5in, big-serving opponent who once compared himself to Obi-Wan Kenobi because of his ability to balance defence and attack.
Away from Arthur Ashe, the doubles continues – the top seeds and Wimbledon champions, Britain’s Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara, are among those in action – while the wheelchair events begin, with the five-time US Open doubles champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid among the headliners. And all of this before a blockbuster night session, as Carlos Alcaraz faces off against Ben Shelton and Jessica Pegula plays Emma Navarro, in the second all-American affair of the day.
Play on Arthur Ashe begins at: 11.30am New York time/4.30pm BST. So grab yourself a Honey Deuce and get settled in.
