The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sabalenka downs Pliskova to advance to Open semifinals
Aryna Sabalenka returned to the U.S. Open semifinals Wednesday with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Karolina Pliskova.
Also Wednesday, No. 22 Frances Tiafoe of the United States continued his run by defeating ninthseeded Russian Andrey Rublev, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the men’s quarterfinals.
Sabalenka is the only player still alive in either draw who reached the final four in Flushing Meadows last year. She lost to runner-up Leylah Fernandez in the semifinals.
The No. 6 seed from Belarus will face top-ranked Iga Swiatek or No. 8 Jessica Pegula for a spot in her first Grand Slam final.
“I’m ready for it,” Sabalenka said. “I’m ready for another fight.”
She reached her only other major semifinal last year at Wimbledon, where Pliskova beat her before falling to Ash Barty.
Sabalenka quickly showed this matchup would be much different, racing to a 4-0 lead against the 2016 U.S. Open runner-up and wrapping up the first set in 28 minutes.
No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 11 Jannik Sinner were to meet in the late men’s quarterfinal.
Serena boosts ratings
Serena Williams’ goodbye to the Open proved a boon to ESPN.
Facing down the possibility of a first-round knockout, Williams instead gave the sports network four nights of prime-time programming last week, with her eventual loss to Ajla Tomljanovic reaching the largest audience of any tennis match in ESPN’S 43-year history.
ESPN happily adjusted on the fly, asking Open officials to move Williams’ doubles match with her sister Venus to Thursday evening, and moving a college football game off its main network on Friday to make room for the match with Tomljanovic.
That Friday match reached 4.8 million viewers, peaking at 6.9 million, the Nielsen company said. It beat the previous record-holder, the 3.9 million who watched the 2012 Wimbledon men’s final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray.
“We knew it was going to be a huge story,” said John Suchenski, ESPN’S programming director, on Wednesday. “I’m not sure we knew how much it was going to play out, audience-wise. Obviously, we’re thrilled by the numbers.”
Williams’ first-round victory over Danka Kovinic last Monday, along with a post-match ceremony, was seen by 2.7 million people — or 289% above comparable first round coverage in 2021, Nielsen said.
Wednesday’s victory over Anett Kontaveit reached 2.3 million. Thursday’s sister act, the first time ESPN has shown a doubles match in prime time, averaged 2.2 million.
Suchenski said he hoped for a “halo effect” that would boost the Open ratings for a Williams-less second week, but ESPN is cognizant of reality.
“The first week was the Serena Open,” tennis analyst John Mcenroe said during Sunday’s coverage. “Now it’s the U.S. Open.”