Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka emulated Serena Williams as she eventually overpowered American Taylor Townsend to reach a sixth straight US Open quarter-final.

A topsy-turvy contest featured 10 breaks of serve, but Sabalenka recovered from 3-1 down in the second set to seal a 6-4 6-3 victory with a fifth consecutive game.

It was the Belarusian’s 18th consecutive win at the tournament, extending her three-year unbeaten streak following back-to-back triumphs in 2024 and 2025.

Sabalenka, 28, is the first woman to reach six consecutive singles quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows since American great Williams in 2016.

Six-time champion Williams was also the last player to win three US Open titles in a row, and Sabalenka is now three wins from matching that feat.

She will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova for a semi-final place, after the Czech sixth seed required six match points to overcome Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in a rollercoaster 7-5 5-7 6-4 win.

Despite the straightforward scoreline, this was a tricky match needing a resilient display from Sabalenka, who also had the vast majority of the crowd against her.

In that context, this was an impressive victory for the four-time major winner, who has not always managed to maintain her composure in similarly testing scenarios.

“I was just trying to stay focused on myself, not only point by point but ball by ball,” Sabalenka said.

“I’m happy I was able to turn around the second set, I think it was a key moment.”