Aryna Sabalenka matches Serena Williams record at Miami Open dating back to 2003

Aryna Sabalenka kept her dominant form going at the Miami Open, easing past Qinwen Zheng to reach the quarterfinals.

Sabalenka, the tournament’s top seed, hasn’t dropped a set in three matches so far. She started with a 7-6(7-5), 6-4 win over Ann Li and followed up with a 6-4, 6-2 victory against Caty McNally before dispatching Zheng 6-3, 6-4.

World number one Sabalenka now takes on American Hailey Baptiste in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. Sabalenka will head into that match full of confidence after matching an achievement previously held by Serena Williams.

Sabalenka matches Serena Williams record at Miami Open

OptaAce notes that Sabalenka has become the first woman since Williams to win nine straight matches without dropping a set at the Miami Open.

Williams managed that run between 2002 and 2003, putting together 11 wins in total – a mark Sabalenka will now have her eye on.

The Belarusian is back in Miami looking to defend her title, having beaten Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in last year’s final.

Pegula has also made it through to the quarterfinals again this year, where she joins fellow Americans Baptiste and Coco Gauff.

Among active players, only Victoria Azarenka (38) has reached more WTA 1000 quarterfinals than Sabalenka (32).

Aryna Sabalenka braces for formidable Hailey Baptiste test in Miami

Sabalenka may be carrying strong momentum into the match, but her next opponent is also having a standout run on home soil.

Baptiste has yet to lose a set in any of her four matches, with three of those victories coming against seeded players.

She’s already beaten Jelena Ostapenko, Elina Svitolina and Liudmila Samsonova, and after her most recent win, she sent a clear message to Sabalenka.

“I think that I’m a pretty aggressive player,” she said.

“I like to go after my shots, and I’ve had to learn to balance the aggressive and conservative game style and know when to actually pull the trigger.

“I’ve got a pretty good balance right now.”

Sabalenka is also known for her aggressive approach. With neither having faced each other before, this matchup has all the makings of an exciting contest.

Baptiste believes that she is ready for such a test: “Being able to have some bigger weapons now helps me stand up against these girls who are really taking it up another level with how hard they’re hitting.

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