Belarusian Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka went full split after unleashing a powerful forehand to seal the win over Canada's Leylah Fernandez at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in the US Open 2025 to advance to the Round of 16. The shot drew massive applause from the crowd as the 27-year-old let out a relieved smile.
In what was Sabalenka's fourth round match, she bested Fernandez 6-2 7-6 (7-2) in Friday's night session. With some outstanding performance, Sabalenka has continued her quest in becoming the first Tennis star since Serena Williams in 2014 to seal consecutive US Open titles.
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"I'm just reminding myself that I have to trust my game" - Aryna Sabalenka
Having beaten Fernandez 6-2 7-6 (7-2), the 27-year-old defending champion remarked that staying aggressive has been the key to her good run. She stated, as quoted by BBC Sport:
"When I get to the tie-break I know that there is no time for doubts and I just have to go for my shots. I'm just reminding myself that I have to trust my game. I have a pretty good feeling. I'm trying to stick to the plan of the game, and trying to stay aggressive and put as much pressure as I can on my opponent."
Sabalenka will next face Cristina Bucsa in the Round of 16 match. Bucsa has reached the fourth round of a grand slam event for the first time. She fought back to eliminate 19th seed Elise Mertens 3-6 7-5 6-3. Sabalenka was notably knocked out of Wimbledon 2025 after a shock semi-final loss to Amanda Amisinova. Hence, she will be wary of taking Busca lightly.
