China Open: Aryna Sabalenka reaches quarterfinals, equals career-best win streak

NEW DELHI: Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka matched her career-best 15 straight wins after beating Madison Keys 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the China Open on Wednesday.

The three-time Grand Slam winner started her streak with a title at Cincinnati in August and continued with a run to the championship at the U.S. Open last month. She also won the Australian Open earlier in the year. Her previous streak of 15 was achieved across the 2020-21 seasons.

The Belarusian has won 30 of 31 sets played during her current streak, dropping only one set to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round of the U.S. Open.

That form guide quickly played out on Wednesday as Sabalenka broke the No. 24-ranked Keys in the third game of the first set and then dominated on serve throughout an efficient 65-minute outing, which improved her head-to-head record against the American to 4-1.

The 26-year-old Belarussian only lost five points on her first serve in the match and was able to save both break points against her, despite Keys making 22 winners against 10 unforced errors.

Sabalenka will play Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals after the Czech player routed Cristina Bucsa 6-2, 6-0. Agencies

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