Aryna Sabalenka showcased her powerful forehand with 41 winners in a one-hour, 37-minute match. She was amazed by the speed she achieved, comparing it to even surpassing male players.
Ranked No. 2, Sabalenka will face either Qinwen Zheng or Donna Vekic in the next round.
She secured victories against Priscilla Hon, Lucia Bronzetti, and Ekaterina Alexandrova in earlier rounds. Meanwhile, Elise Mertens, ranked No. 35, defeated Veronika Kudermetova, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Madison Keys.
Other results from the last 16 at the US Open include matchups between Iga Swiatek and Liudmila Samsonova, Caroline Wozniacki and Beatriz Haddad Maia, Diana Shnaider and Jessica Pegula, Karolina Muchova and Jasmine Paolini, Qinwen Zheng and Donna Vekic, Emma Navarro and Coco Gauff, and Paula Badosa and Yafan Wang.
