‘Drinks on me!’: Aryna Sabalenka bribes New York crowd to cheer for her in US Open semis against Navarro

Australian Open champion Sabalenka, runner-up to Coco Gauff in New York last year, triumphed 6-1, 6-2 and will take on Emma Navarro of the United States for a place in the final.

It will be a ninth career semi-final at the Slams for the 26-year-old from Belarus.

She also defeated the Chinese star at the same stage of the US Open in 2023 before going on to beat the 21-year-old again in the Australian Open final in January.

“It was important that I got the early break, that was an advantage because it’s tough to face her,” said Sabalenka after her 73-minute win which saw Zheng hit just nine winners.

The 13th-seeded Navarro reached her maiden Slam semi-final earlier Tuesday with a straight-sets victory over Paula Badosa of Spain.

Sabalenka and Navarro are 1-1 in their head-to-head meetings with both clashes coming this season.

The American won at Indian Wells before Sabalenka came out on top at the French Open.

“The drinks are on me if you cheer for me,” Sabalenka told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd in an effort to drum up backing for the semi-final against the New York-born Navarro.

“She’s a really good player. We had two battles, they were really close.”