Sabalenka beats Mertens to reach US Open quarterfinals

Aryna Sabalenka will face either Zheng Qinwen of China or Donna Vekic of Croatia in the quarterfinals of the US Open. (AP Photo)

NEW YORK: Aryna Sabalenka effortlessly reached the quarterfinals of the US Open for the fourth season in a row on Sunday, beating Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4.

Sabalenka, world number two and Australian Open champion, finished runner-up behind Coco Gauff in last year’s final in New York, after also reaching the semi-finals in 2021 and 2022.

Sabalenka scored a whopping 41 winning holes and saved all eight break points she faced.

Her next opponent will be Chinese Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, the player she defeated in the Australian Open final, or Croatian Donna Vekic.