No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s US Open runner-up, surrendered just three games to Qinwen Zheng on Tuesday night in reaching the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the fourth year in a row.
The quarterfinals featuring Sabalenka and No. 7 Zheng — a rematch of the Australian Open final in January won by Sabalenka — was the first matchup between players ranked in the top 10 on the women’s side at this year’s US Open.
With Roger Federer in the stands, attending the US Open for the first time since his retirement, Sabalenka displayed a typically powerful performance in a 6-1, 6-2 victory to set up a semifinals clash with Emma Navarro on Thursday.
A year ago, Sabalenka lost to American Coco Gauff in the US Open final as a partisan crowd loudly backed the champion. Now Sabalenka faces another American in Navarro.
So after her win Tuesday night, Sabalenka was asked by ESPN’s Pam Shriver what she might do “to try and get a few more people on your side?”
Sabalenka chuckled and told the folks in Arthur Ashe Stadium, “Drinks on me tonight?”
Then, repeating that offer to the thousands of spectators, the 26-year-old from Belarus added, “Please give me some support in the next match.”
She beat the 13th-seeded Navarro in the fourth round at Roland Garros but lost to her…
