By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Friday, August 18, 2023

Aryna Sabalenka goals to rise to her maiden Cincinnati closing—and avenge a painful French Open fall.

Sabalenka slammed a 119 mph ace as a strong exclamation level to a declarative 7-5, 6-3 win over a hobbled Ons Jabeur in tonight's Western & Southern Open quarterfinals.

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Sabalenka slashed an ace to cap a love maintain for 2-3 within the second set. During the following changeover, Jabeur took therapy for her proper foot, which was taped. 

Though the three-time Grand Slam finalist performed on, she didn't win one other recreation. Sabalenka transformed six of 10 break factors in an 89-minute victory.

The Australian Open champion improved to 44-9 on the season.

"I'm super happy to be in the semifinals again here in Cincinnati," Sabalenka stated. "Right now, I'm a little bit sad for Ons. I hope she will recover soon and she'll be ready for the US Open. She's such an unbelievable player a really tricky opponent.

"I'm simply tremendous completely satisfied I used to be in a position to win this match."

The victory vaults Sabalenka into her third Cincinnati semifinal and a rematch vs. Karolina Muchova, who delivered the Belarusian's most gut-wrenching loss of the season in Paris. In an all-Czech quarterfinal, Muchova held a 3-0 lead when Marie Bouzkova retired with a leg injury.

Staring down match point and a 2-5 deficit to Sabalenka in the Roland Garros semifinals last June, Muchova fired a forehand winner to save match point and spark an improbable comeback.

Muchova surged through 20 of the last 24 points and five straight games, shocking the second-seeded Sabalenka 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 7-5 to battle into her maiden major final at Roland Garros.

That collapse denied Sabalenka a shot at world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the French Open final. Sabalenka said she's eager to face Muchova again.

"Fingers crossed," Sabalenka said. "She's an excellent participant. We had a very nice battle at Roland Garros. She performed unbelievable tennis. It's going to be an excellent battle and I'm actually trying ahead to semifinals."

Photo credit score: Robert Prange/Getty

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