Aryna Sabalenka said victory at last year’s US Open is not the driving force behind her 2025 challenge after the defending champion breezed past Cristina Bucsa to reach the quarter-finals in New York.
The 27-year-old Belarusian did not face a break point as she cruised to a 6-1 6-4 win in an hour and 13 minutes against the unseeded Spaniard on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Sabalenka won her first US Open singles title last September – her third Grand Slam singles triumph overall – when she beat American Jessica Pegula in the final.
However, she has not won a major title this year, losing in the finals of both the Australian Open and Roland Garros – to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff respectively.
“I’m not playing not to lose, I play to win,” Sabalenka said when asked about the pressure of defending her title at Flushing Meadows.
“I don’t care about what happened last year. I mean, of course it’s a big achievement, and I’m super happy I was able to achieve it once, but the goal is to do it many more times.
“My mentality is going out there every time with the best fighting spirit and just fight for my dream.”
Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player to defend the US Open women’s singles title since Serena Williams in 2014.
The top seed, who has yet to drop a set, will face 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the last eight after the Czech beat Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 6-4 5-7 6-2 later on Sunday evening.
Sabalenka broke Bucsa, ranked 95th in the world, twice en route to sealing the first set in 27 minutes.
Busca held firm in her opening two service games of the second set, but Sabalenka secured a decisive break in the fifth game and went on to close out the victory which ensures she will remain world number one come the end of the tournament.
“I’m super happy with the win. I feel with every game I play, I play better and better and better,” the three-time major winner added.
Later, Vondrousova sealed her place in a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time since last year’s French Open when she beat fellow Wimbledon winner Rybakina.
Since her victory at the All England Club in 2023, Czech left-hander Vondrousova has struggled with injuries and missed last year’s US Open after undergoing shoulder surgery on the eve of the tournament.
But the 26-year-old looked back to her best as she out-served Rybakina, who leads the ace count and first-serve percentage on the WTA Tour this season.
Firing down 13 aces to her ninth-seeded opponent’s five, Vondrousova twice broke Rybakina’s serve in the deciding set to pull off another fine win, having knocked out seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in the last round.
“After everything I have been through, it is amazing to be standing here again,” Vondrousova, ranked 60th, said.
“It’s a long way to go, but it’s been an amazing week so far. I’m incredibly happy to be here.”
