Steve Tignor

Sabalenka made even shorter work of Zheng than she did in the Australian Open final. She's the No. 2 seed, but she looks like the favorite right now.

On the 22-year-old Brit's breakout semifinal run at the US Open. NEW YORK—Should American tennis fans be jealous of their counterparts in…Great Britain?

The final four features a Grand Slam champion, a Grand Slam runner-up, and two Slam-seeking Americans.

On the other side of the draw awaits Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner and potential first-time finalist Jack Draper.

“I was about to burst into tears because it was so embarrassing,” said the American of her start—before rallying past Karolina Muchova in three sets.

The two-time Australian Open champ just defeated the American in the Cincinnati Open final on August 19.

“He's really letting himself go, isn't he?” Jim Courier joked in the commentary booth when the cameras spotted Roger Federer in a suite at the US Open earlier this week.

“I think I've always played well against Jannik,” says the Californian, trying to become the first American men's Slam champ since Andy Roddick.

She controlled her emotions, stopped herself in mid-meltdown—and even got the U.S. crowd to show her some love against Jessica Pegula.

But it did show him to be as steely, single-minded, and indistractable as all champions need to be.