Sabalenka shocks Kvitova to reach US Open 4th round

NEW YORK, United States — Aryna Sabalenka’s red-hot hardcourt form continued on Saturday as she knocked two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova out of the third round of the US Open.

Sabalenka, a 20-year-old from Belarus, warmed up for Flushing Meadows with a first career title at New Haven and came into the tournament at a career-high world ranking of 20th.

Seeded 26th, she beat fifth-seeded Czech Kvitova 7-5, 6-1, belting 21 winners in a match lasting 1 hour 25 minutes.

Kvitova’s exit means just three of the top 10 women’s seeds made it into the fourth round.

Sabalenka, seeded 26th, will face Naomi Osaka, for a quarter-final spot in a battle of big-hitting 20-year-olds.

Japan’s Osaka, seeded 20th, railroaded Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-0, 6-0.