Sabalenka Extends Winning Streak in Beijing

Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed at the China Open in Beijing, continued her impressive form with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ashlyn Krueger in the third round. The Belarusian player, who is currently riding a 14-match winning streak, dominated the match, winning 71.8% of her first-serve points and dispatching Krueger in just 74 minutes.

"Maybe right now I'm not playing my best, best tennis," Sabalenka admitted, "but I think the way I'm controlling my emotions and the way I'm holding myself sometimes is really helping me to stay in most of the matches, in those difficult situations to keep fighting and keep playing my best tennis."

Sabalenka's win streak is just one shy of her career-best of 15, which she achieved between Ostrava 2020 and Abu Dhabi 2021. The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion will next face 18th-seeded Madison Keys, who defeated 13th-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-3, 6-3.

In other third-round action, former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Katie Volynets, setting up a round of 16 clash against fourth-seeded Coco Gauff. "It's going to be a really cool test for me," Osaka said of facing Gauff. "She's played really well this year. I'm excited to play the match, and I know people are excited to watch the match."

Russian Anna Kalinskaya advanced to the next round after Peyton Stearns retired from their match while trailing 3-6, 6-3, 3-1. Fifth-seeded Qinwen Zheng of China also progressed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Nadia Podoroska of Argentina. Zheng will face 34th-seeded Amanda Anisimova in a rematch of their US Open first-round encounter, which Zheng won in three sets.

Ninth-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia and 16th-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia both fell in their respective third-round matches. No. 17 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia overcame a first-set stumble to post a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Vekic.