Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the US Open match.
Zheng Qinwen
Zheng Qinwen had to expend a lot of energy in the first week of the competition to reach the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year. The Chinese player was forced to play a deciding set in three out of her four matches, with her encounters against Erika Andreeva (6:7, 6:1, 6:2) and Donna Vekić (7:6, 4:6, 6:2) stretching to a total of 5 hours and 20 minutes. If successful, Zheng will reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.
Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka, on the other hand, has had a different experience. The world's number two has mostly brushed aside her opponents, dispatching three out of four matches in straight sets. The only exception was a late match against Ekaterina Alexandrova (2:6, 6:1, 6:2). Sabalenka has now reached the quarter-finals of the US Open for the fourth consecutive year, matching Serena Williams' achievement from 2011-16. The second seed has won eight out of nine quarter-finals at majors, and all three at the US Open.
Zheng Qinwen - Aryna Sabalenka Prediction
In their head-to-head matches, Sabalenka leads 2-0 and 4-0 in sets. Including the Cincinnati tournament, her winning streak now stands at nine matches, having dropped only one set in that span. Aryna is currently too strong to doubt her success.
