By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Aryna Sabalenka survived the biggest test of her title defence against sixth seed Linda Noskova to reach the U.S. Open semi-finals on Tuesday, as fans awaited an all-American “Battle of the Billionaires” later in the programme.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz has defied concerns surrounding his long injury layoff and is due up in the final match of the night at Flushing Meadows against eighth seed Ben Shelton.
Sabalenka had not dropped a set this year in New York but found herself pushed to the limit in a 7-6(1) 3-6 7-6(10-7) win over Noskova, recovering from a mid-match dip in her form to reach her sixth consecutive U.S. Open semi-final.
The highly anticipated meeting between the Czech Wimbledon champion and the U.S. Open titleholder lived up to all expectations and the Belarusian clinched victory with a gutsy ace from a second serve.
“What a battle,” said Sabalenka, who added to her reputation as one of the hardest players to beat in tiebreaks.
“I’m speechless right now because I was pushing myself to the limit.”
A quarter-final meeting between U.S. fan favourite Frances Tiafoe and his compatriot Alex Michelsen was underway on Arthur Ashe Stadium, as both bid to end a 23-year American men’s drought at the major.
Michelsen, who is younger than that dry spell at 22 years old, has largely flown under the radar at Flushing Meadows and is hoping to extend his deepest run at the majors, while the veteran Tiafoe is eyeing a third trip to the penultimate stage.
The match was the first of two all-American contests at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday, as third seed Jessica Pegula plays Emma Navarro in the evening programme, a clash that has quickly been dubbed “the Battle of the Billionaires.”
Jessica Pegula, daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula, is among three who could overtake Sabalenka as the world number one at this tournament, and she has triumphed in all four of her prior meetings with Navarro, the daughter of billionaire businessman Ben Navarro.
Shelton will need the U.S. fans’ full support against fearsome titleholder Alcaraz, who has lost just one of his last 32 matches at the majors beginning with his title run at last year’s Roland Garros. The American is vying for his second U.S. Open semi-final berth.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
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