Sabalenka outlasts Noskova in three-set US Open thriller: a second-serve ace, a deciding tiebreak, and six straight years in New York

It was past one in the morning when Aryna Sabalenka walked to the baseline with the third-set tiebreak at 9-7. The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd was on its feet. She tossed the ball, struck her second serve with full commitment, and hit an ace into the corner. Linda Noskova could only watch. The final score read 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(10-7), sending Sabalenka into a sixth consecutive US Open semifinal. This was a match between two Grand Slam champions from the most recent major events. Sabalenka, the world No. 1, arrived in New York as the two-time defending champion, chasing a third straight US Open title. Noskova, seeded sixth, had just won Wimbledon. Their styles created a compelling contrast: Sabalenka, the aggressive baseliner who crushes forehands and relies on her serve; Noskova, the flexible counterpuncher who changes pace and disrupts rhythm. Sabalenka won the first-set tiebreak comfortably, 7-1. But Noskova adjusted, using slice backhands and drop shots. She took the second set 6-3. In the third, Sabalenka stepped closer to the baseline, took the ball earlier, and restored her power game. Still, Noskova pushed her into another tiebreak. At 9-7, Sabalenka chose to hit a second-serve ace, a statement made under maximum pressure. The match revealed more than a scoreline. Noskova proved she has the tactical tools to unsettle the world No. 1. Sabalenka proved she still knows how to survive. With a possible semifinal against either Jessica Pegula or Emma Navarro, Sabalenka remains the favorite, but the margin between her and the next generation is shrinking. For a sports business observer, the quarterfinal was also a gift for the US Open: three sets, two tiebreaks, and a story built around the world's best player. Sabalenka now carries her sixth consecutive New York semifinal into the next round, while Noskova leaves with a roadmap for the future.