Sabalenka started the encounter with absolute dominance, securing an early break against the sixth-seeded Noskova’s first service turn and quickly building a 5-2 advantage, though she was subsequently broken while attempting to serve out the opening set.
Even though she easily controlled the following tie-breaker, the double fault she committed during her final service game—part of a total of four throughout the clash—foreshadowed a recurring issue in her play, along with her struggles to capitalize on break point opportunities.
She squandered three such chances early in the second set before dropping her own serve in the sixth game, courtesy of a double fault at 30-40, allowing Noskova to push the contest into a deciding set.
Following a couple more double faults that cost her a third service break, her chances seemed slim as Noskova held her serve without losing a point to command a 4-2 lead; however, she clawed her way back by claiming the next three games in a row.
She proceeded to triumph in the tie-break—marking her tenth consecutive tie-break win at the US Open in a streak stretching back to 2021—to finalize her comeback, clinching the match with an incredibly poised second-serve ace.
This marked merely the second time Sabalenka has won a quarter-final match since March, as the tournament’s top seed struggled to translate her early-year hard-court dominance—highlighted by trophies in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami—onto clay and grass surfaces.
Although she endured round-of-16 defeats in both Toronto and Cincinnati during her US Open preparation, she has successfully recaptured near-peak form at an event where she maintains a perfect six-for-six record in quarter-final appearances.
As for Noskova, the loss brings an end to an impressive 11-match winning streak in singles play at major tournaments, despite her recording more winners, committing fewer unforced errors, and fending off seven out of nine break points during the encounter.
