18 — that is the length of Aryna Sabalenka's run of consecutive match wins after she beat American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3, a victory that saw the Belarusian match a feat of the legendary Serena Williams by reaching the US Open quarter-finals for a sixth successive time. The contest was a tense one, with 10 breaks of serve, yet the champion, having trailed 3-1 in the second set, reeled off five games in a row. The home crowd threw its weight behind the American from the stands. Sabalenka absorbed the pressure and kept her composure. "I'm happy I was able to turn around the second set, I think it was a key moment," she reflected. Nothing less than the title will keep her at the top of the world rankings. Next up is Czech opponent Linda Nosková.