Aryna Sabalenka quipped the drinks would be on her to get the Flushing Meadows crowd onside for her US Open semi-final against Emma Navarro. (More Tennis News)
Home favourite Navarro will go up against a player in form in the last four, after last year's runner-up Sabalenka put on a show of force against Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in the quarters.
Sabalenka claimed a statement 6-1 6-2 victory on Tuesday, in what was a rematch of this year's Australian Open final, which the Belarusian also won.
There was little let up for Zheng, as Sabalenka conceded fewer than five games against a WTA top-10 opponent for only the third time in her career, after wins over Coco Gauff in Indian Wells and Maria Sakkari at the WTA Finals last year.
Though Sabalenka knows that American Navarro, who followed up her win over defending champion Gauff by beating Paula Badosa, will have the crowd on her side.
"OK guys, drinks on me - and please give me some support in the next match," she laughed.
"She [Navarro] is a really good player. We had two battles, they were really close."
Sabalenka had more than just nerves to deal with against Zheng, given the great Roger Federer was watching on from the stands,
"I saw him there, saw him on the big screen," Sabalenka said regarding Federer, a five-time US Open champion.
"I was like, OK, I have to play my best tennis so he enjoys it. I have to show my skills, you know, slice skills, come to the net and all that stuff."
Data Debrief: Four on the spin for Sabalenka
Sabalenka has now reached four successive US Open semi-finals, as she takes her tally of last four appearances at grand slams to nine.
At the age of 26, she is the youngest woman to reach four straight semi-finals at Flushing Meadows since 2002.
She is the also first player to reach the women's singles semis at both the Australian Open and US Open in back-to-back years since Serena Williams (2015-16).
