'I trust my game' – nerveless Sabalenka continues title defence
US Open 2025
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September
Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka says her formidable tie-break record comes down to "trust" in her game as she beat Canada's Leylah Fernandez to reach the US Open last 16.
Top seed Sabalenka secured a 6-2 7-6 (7-2) victory over 2021 runner-up Fernandez in Friday's night session at Flushing Meadows
The 27-year-old Belarusian continues her quest to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to achieve back-to-back titles in New York.
Success in the second set against Fernandez was Sabalenka's 18th consecutive winning tie-break.
"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," Sabalenka said.
"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."
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Sabalenka's focus also did not waver as the crowd on Louis Armstrong Stadium erupted at a change of ends – when they saw a wedding proposal on the big screen.
"It was a very sweet moment, but I was just trying not to start smiling because it's very cute. I was just trying to keep focusing on my game," said the three-time major champion.
With a smile, she added: "I don't want this kind of proposal. But I looked at my boyfriend. No pressure."
Next Sabalenka goes on to face Spanish surprise package Cristina Bucsa.
Bucsa, 28, reached the fourth round of a major for the first time, fighting back to knock out Belgian 19th seed Elise Mertens in a 3-6 7-5 6-3 victory.
Meanwhile, top-10 seeds Jasmine Paolini and Emma Navarro saw their title bids ended by a pair of Czech former Wimbledon champions.
Marketa Vondrousova, who won at the All England Club in 2023, beat Italian seventh seed Paolini 7-6 (7-4) 6-1, while her successor Barbora Krejcikova saw off American 10th seed Emma Navarro 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Pegula holds off Azarenka fightback to win
American Jessica Pegula had to dig deep to beat Victoria Azarenka in the US Open third round and keep alive her hopes of winning a career-first Grand Slam on home soil.
In a 6-1 7-5 victory, 2024 finalist Pegula cruised through the first set before former world number one Azarenka fought back valiantly despite struggling with a leg injury.
Meanwhile, Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini suffered a surprise 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 defeat by world number 60 Marketa Vondrousova.
Paolini was beaten in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon last year, but has failed to progress beyond the fourth round at any Slam this year.
Pegula, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat by Aryna Sabalenka in last year's New York final, will face either her compatriot Ann Li or Australia's world number 126 Priscilla Hon in the fourth round.
"I just tried to focus on going back to my strategy, things that went well in the first set," said the 31-year-old when asked how she arrested her second-set slide.
"I thought I moved and scrambled really well, I wanted to make the match physical.
"My results haven't been too amazing the last couple of months, so to be able to turn it around was awesome."
The fourth seed produced three aces and 10 winners in an opening set in which Azarenka committed four double faults and won just 36% of her first serves.
Yet the 36-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner looked her old self in the second set, as she broke serve and then saved a break point to solidify her lead.
However, three consecutive breaks followed as mistakes crept into both players' games.
Azarenka saved three break points before Pegula converted the fourth, before the American made two glaring forehand misses after double-faulting to hand control back to the Belarusian.
The pendulum swung back in Pegula's favour one final time as she broke in the final game to claim a place in the last 16.
"Obviously she picked up her level in the second set and I just thought she started serving really well, she had a bunch of aces to get herself out of those return games, and she's always a great returner which puts the pressure on your first serves," Pegula said of Azarenka.
"We train together a lot in Florida, so we know each other's game really well. I could tell she was struggling a bit physically, so I wanted to keep her moving and play aggressive."
