Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September
Coverage: Daily radio commentaries across BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app, with selected live text commentaries and match reports on the website and app

Aryna Sabalenka reached the US Open semi-finals for the second consecutive year with a straight-set win over Karolina Pliskova in New York.

It is Pliskova’s fourth quarter-final exit at Flushing Meadows since reaching the 2016 final.

Sabalenka, 24, will face world number one Iga Swiatek or eighth seed Jessica Pegula for a place in Saturday’s final.

Widely expected to be a blockbuster encounter between two big hitters, Sabalenka ultimately proved too strong for the former world number one as she kept alive her hopes of clinching a maiden Grand Slam singles title.

Sabalenka got off to the ideal start, twice breaking Pliskova’s serve as she raced into a 4-0 lead before wrapping up the first set in just 28 minutes.

While 30-year-old Pliskova improved in the second set to force a tie-break, Sabalenka refused to relent and secured her place in the last four after firing seven aces and 30 winners without facing a break point. 

“I expected a great level with long rallies. I wanted to stay in the match and make her work,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview.

Sabalenka, searching for her first appearance in a Grand Slam singles final, will have the chance to avenge last year’s semi-final loss to Leylah Fernandez.

However, the defeat ends a disappointing year in the majors for Pliskova, who suffered second-round exits at the French Open and Wimbledon after missing the Australian Open because of injury.