Second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face 13th seed Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round of the 2023 US Open. The match will be played on Monday, September 4, 2023.

For 74 weeks Iga Swiatek reigned as the World No. 1, but as of Monday, September 4, she’ll vacate from top spot as incumbent Aryna Sabalenka takes over for the first time in her career. The Belarusian star’s career-best season has culminated with a maiden Grand Slam singles title (Australian Open) and unseating the dominant Pole from the summit. Sabalenka’s work isn’t finished yet as she’ll now be the overwhelming favorite to add to her trophy collection by winning her second major title. The 25-year-old stormed through the draw in the first week, not dropping more than three games in any sets, but she’ll face her first seeded opponent of this year’s US Open in Daria Kasatkina. Will she feel any added pressure?

While naturally not the most powerful player on Tour, Daria Kasatkina’s varied style of play is an indication that tennis isn’t all about physique, but technique and mental toughness too. The Russian has bounced back from years of mediocrity to return to the world’s Top 20 in the past couple of seasons and she’s been one of the most unorthodox players. Kasatkina’s ability to spice up her shots makes her a pretty formidable player to counter. Her path to the second week was littered with hurdles, needing three sets apiece to beat Alycia Parks and former Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin. In terms of strain, her third-round win over Venus Williams’ conqueror Greet Minnen was perhaps her smoothest victory of the championships, coming through 6-3, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka leads the head-to-head 4-2 over Daria Kasatkina, but it is level pegging on hard courts (2-2) with Sabalenka wining their most recent clash at the 2023 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Keeping the ball in play is Kasaktina’s gameplan against the power hitters, it’s probably the one thing she could use to her advantage. But the problem is that Sabalenka has been very clinical this season, serving efficiently, and muscling line-painting winners. Playing as the new World No. 1 will also be a momentous occasion for her, so we might well see another dominant win in her march to the quarterfinal.