Aryna Sabalenka is headed back to the U.S. Open semifinals — but not in the way she normally does.

Markéta Vondroušová dropped out of Tuesday night’s scheduled quarterfinal match due to injury, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) confirmed, allowing Sabalenka to advance via walkover.

The development occurred about two hours before Vondroušová, the world’s 60th-ranked player, was set to face Sabalenka, the world’s No. 1.

Sabalenka seeks her second consecutive U.S. Open championship and her fourth Grand Slam title.

The Belarusian star is set to face No. 4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinals on Thursday. Sabalenka defeated Pegula, the highest-ranked American remaining in the tournament, in last year’s Open final. Originally Published: September 2, 2025 at 5:37 PM EDT

See Full Page