Already in the last four of the tournament in 2021 but banned from competition last year due to the war in Ukraine, Sabalenka will face in the last square the winner of the remake of last year's final between the defending champion, Kazakh Elena Rybakina (3rd), and Tunisia's Ons Jabeur (6th).
Semifinalist at the last US Open, winner at the Australian Open and semifinalist at Roland-Garros, Sabalenka confirms her status as the main and perhaps only real rival for the moment of the number one WTA, Iga Swiatek, eliminated Tuesday in the quarterfinals by the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
With her powerful style, this match also confirmed that Belarus' worst enemy is none other than herself.
© Glyn KIRK / AFP
She had taken the initiative from the beginning of the first set, with a break on the first game, to never relax her grip on her opponent, overwhelmed.
Keys made the back round and, taking advantage of a drop in speed on Sabalenka's serve, whose first ball went from 62% in the first set to 50% at the beginning of the second, the American broke to lead 4-2.
A semi-finalist at Roland Garros and the US Open in 2018 and the Australian Open last year, Keys then led 40-0 on her commitment, Sabalenka being too imprecise and sometimes too impatient in the exchange.
But the Belarusian ended up setting the target again, winning 13 of the next 14 points to lead 5-4 service to follow.
© Glyn KIRK / AFP
With a low backhand that hooked the strip of the net, Sabalenka missed her first ball of the match, but she concluded on the next by once again pushing her opponent to the foul with her powerful strikes.
© 2023 AFP