Aryna Sabalenka has summoned her inner ‘Superwoman’ avatar at the US Open. The Belarusian is making waves at Flushing Meadows, something we’ve already seen but now, she’s also gaining an edge over her male counterparts. Sabalenka advanced to the last four after registering a dominating victory over reigning Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng, 6-1, 6-2. After reaching her 10th semifinal, of her 12 Grand Slam appearances, a new revelation came to light.

Notably, the No. 2 seed is a total powerhouse. Though you might be all too aware of it, having witnessed her impressive performances in New York, there’s more to it. The latest US Open stats cite that Sabalenka has the most damaging forehand at the tournament – not just among women, but among all players. Sabalenka’s powerful forehand has bettered even the three top ranked players from the men’s category. With an average recorded forehand topspin shot of 80 mph, the Belarusian star has superseded Carlos Alcaraz (79 mph), Jannik Sinner (78 mph), and Novak Djokovic‘s (76 mph) forehand speed at Flushing Meadows.

Executing shots more authoritatively than the ATP Tour’s top talents, Sabalenka has crazed the tennis world with her extraordinary skills. During an on-court interview, the 26-year-old was herself baffled after acknowledging her latest feat. “I saw my stats on my forehand and I actually can’t believe it’s that fast. It felt kind of uncomfortable being at the top and even hitting harder than guys.”

For those unaware, two of the top three ATP players at the moment, Alcaraz and Djokovic, have already crashed out of the US Open 2024. Defending champion Djokovic faced an unexpected third-round defeat at the hands of Alexei Popyrin, while Spanish sensation Alcaraz suffered a shock second-round defeat at the hands of Botic van de Zandschulp. As of now, Italian giant Sinner remains the only top-three-seeded player at the hardcourt Slam.

In the women’s category though, Sabalenka is quite serious about her quest for a maiden US Open title. So much so, that the Belarusian has made a playful offer to the New York crowd to garner some support.

Aryna Sabalenka’s hilarious request for New Yorkers support

Heading into the US Open semifinal for the fourth consecutive year, Aryna Sabalenka isn’t looking to see history getting repeated. Notably, her dream run for a maiden Flushing Meadows crown was thwarted by Coco Gauff who outclassed her in the event’s summit clash last season. However, things have changed now.

With the defending champion out, the Belarusian stands a healthy chance of clinching the hardcourt title. But don’t expect the New York crowd to support the No. 2 seed. After all, she will face home favorite Emma Navarro. Well, Sabalenka has an idea that might bring her some support in New York.

In an on-court interview, ESPN’s Pam Shriver asked the 26-year-old, “What are you going to do tonight to try and get a few more people on your side going into the semis?” To much hilarity, the Belarusian responded by offering the crowd drinks if they supported her in the SFs. “Okay guys, drinks on me, and please give me some support in the next match.”

Both Sabalenka and Navarro are locked in and have set their eyes on the prize. In hopes of securing a place in the title decider, the duo will square off at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, September 5.