Preview: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Taylor Townsend - US Open prediction, form

Aryna Sabalenka can earn a spot in the quarter-finals of the US Open for a sixth successive occasion on Saturday as she squares off with doubles specialist Taylor Townsend for the first time.

The reigning two-time champion at Flushing Meadows ousted Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 6-4 in round three, with Townsend needing three sets to dispose of Diana Shnaider 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-3.

Match preview

Sabalenka’s quest for a rare three-peat on the women’s draw is still intact as she has yet to lose a set at the tournament this year.

The three-time finalist at Flushing Meadows is now four wins away from becoming just the second woman on the singles draw this century to capture three straight US Open crowns, with Serena Williams being the other.

The #1 seed has won over 70% of her first and second serves in her last two encounters, while converting a combined 13 break points in her three matches.

In her last 15 Grand Slam singles appearances, she has made it beyond the last 16 all but one time, with Naomi Osaka shocking her in straight sets at this year’s Wimbledon event.

A four-time Grand Slam singles champion, Sabalenka has only lost one set in the last 16 of this tournament, when Danielle Collins won the first set against her in 2022, though the Belarusian went on to win that match.

So far at Flushing Meadows in 2026, Sabalenka has only conceded a combined three break points in her three matches played.

Taylor Townsend has a chance to enter new territory on the singles draw this weekend, having never made it to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam singles event before.

Sunday will mark the third time she has competed in the last 16 of a US Open singles tournament, and the American has lost those previous two times in three sets.

While she is rarely still alive at this stage of a singles tournament, Townsend has won three Grand Slam doubles events before, while reaching the quarter-finals or further in the last four US Open doubles tournaments.

Among her strengths on the singles draw this year has been her ability to minimize mistakes, registering a combined four double faults at Flushing Meadows on the singles side of things.

At the same time, she has won 70% or more of her first serves in each of her singles matches and five break points.

Two of her three singles upsets against top-10 players occurred at the US Open, including a straight-sets victory over Mirra Andreeva in round three of this event last year.

Tournament so far

Aryna Sabalenka:

First round: vs. Camila Osorio 6-2 6-4

Second round: vs. Polina Iatcenko 6-1 6-1

Third round: vs. Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 6-4

Taylor Townsend:

First round: vs. Maja Chwalinska 6-2 6-3

Second round: vs. Taylah Preston 6-1 6-1

Third round: vs. Diana Shnaider 6-2 6-7 (7-3) 6-3

We say: Sabalenka to win in two sets

Sabalenka appears to be on cruise control right now and has far too much power and an array of shots she can throw at Townsend that the latter simply cannot match.