Sabalenka crushes Keys, equals career-best win streak
Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has matched her career-best 15 straight wins after beating Madison Keys 6-4 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals of the WTA's China Open.
The three-time grand slam winner started her streak with a title at Cincinnati in August and continued with a run to the championship at the US Open last month. She also won the Australian Open earlier in the year. Her previous streak of 15 was achieved across the 2020-21 seasons.
"When you're able to sacrifice a lot and you're able to work hard and you're able to get these wins, that's the best feeling," Sabalenka said on Wednesday.
"You're just living your best life. You're excited to play your matches. You're excited to face whatever fight you going to face."
𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 👊@SabalenkaA | #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/wzfo9GauvE
— wta (@WTA) October 2, 2024
The Belarusian has won 30 of 31 sets played during her current streak, dropping only one set to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round at Flushing Meadows.
That form guide quickly played out in Beijing as Sabalenka broke the 24th-ranked Keys in the third game of the first set and then dominated on serve throughout an efficient 65-minute outing, which improved her head-to-head record against the American to 4-1.
The 26-year-old Sabalenka only lost five points on her first serve in the match and was able to save both break points against her, despite Keys making 22 winners against 10 unforced errors.
Sabalenka will play Karolina Muchova in the last eight after the Czech routed Cristina Bucsa of Spain, 6-2 6-0.
China's Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen will face Amanda Anisimova later in the day.