Aryna Sabalenka vs. Taylor Townsend - US Open prediction, form

Aryna Sabalenka tin gain a spot successful the quarter-finals of the US Open for a sixth successive juncture connected Saturday arsenic she squares disconnected with doubles specializer Taylor Townsend for the archetypal time.

The reigning two-time champion astatine Flushing Meadows ousted Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 6-4 successful circular three, with Townsend needing 3 sets to dispose of Diana Shnaider 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-3.

Match preview

Sabalenka’s quest for a uncommon three-peat connected the women’s gully is inactive intact arsenic she has yet to suffer a acceptable astatine the tourney this year.

The three-time finalist astatine Flushing Meadows is present 4 wins distant from becoming conscionable the 2nd pistillate connected the singles gully this period to seizure 3 consecutive US Open crowns, with Serena Williams being the other.

The #1 effect has won implicit 70% of her archetypal and 2nd serves successful her past 2 encounters, portion converting a combined 13 interruption points successful her 3 matches.

In her past 15 Grand Slam singles appearances, she has made it beyond the past 16 each but 1 time, with Naomi Osaka shocking her successful consecutive sets astatine this year’s Wimbledon event.

A four-time Grand Slam singles champion, Sabalenka has lone mislaid 1 acceptable successful the past 16 of this tournament, erstwhile Danielle Collins won the archetypal acceptable against her successful 2022, though the Belarusian went connected to triumph that match.

So acold astatine Flushing Meadows successful 2026, Sabalenka has lone conceded a combined 3 interruption points successful her 3 matches played.

Taylor Townsend has a accidental to participate caller territory connected the singles gully this weekend, having ne'er made it to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam singles lawsuit before.

Sunday volition people the 3rd clip she has competed successful the past 16 of a US Open singles tournament, and the American has mislaid those erstwhile 2 times successful 3 sets.

While she is seldom inactive live astatine this signifier of a singles tournament, Townsend has won 3 Grand Slam doubles events before, portion reaching the quarter-finals oregon further successful the past 4 US Open doubles tournaments.

Among her strengths connected the singles gully this twelvemonth has been her quality to minimize mistakes, registering a combined 4 treble faults astatine Flushing Meadows connected the singles broadside of things.  

At the aforesaid time, she has won 70% oregon much of her archetypal serves successful each of her singles matches and 5 interruption points.

Two of her 3 singles upsets against top-10 players occurred astatine the US Open, including a straight-sets triumph implicit Mirra Andreeva successful circular 3 of this lawsuit past year.

Tournament truthful far

Aryna Sabalenka:

First round: vs. Camila Osorio 6-2 6-4

Second round: vs. Polina Iatcenko 6-1 6-1

Third round: vs. Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 6-4

Taylor Townsend:

First round: vs. Maja Chwalinska 6-2 6-3

Second round: vs. Taylah Preston 6-1 6-1

Third round: vs. Diana Shnaider 6-2 6-7 (7-3) 6-3

We say: Sabalenka to triumph successful 2 sets

Sabalenka appears to beryllium connected cruise power close present and has acold excessively overmuch powerfulness and an array of shots she tin propulsion astatine Townsend that the second simply cannot match.