World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka stormed into her first-ever Miami Open semi-final, overcoming a second-set scare to defeat China’s Zheng Qinwen 6-2, 7-5 on Tuesday. The Belarusian will now face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who cruised past Poland’s Magda Linette 6-3, 6-2 to make history as the first Italian woman to reach the Miami Open semi-finals.

Sabalenka’s Comeback Power

The match initially appeared to be routine for Sabalenka, who dominated the opening set. However, Zheng fought back aggressively in the second, securing a 4-2 lead with two breaks of serve.

Sabalenka found herself in deep trouble at 0-40, but the top seed dug deep, saved break points, and turned the momentum in her favor. She rattled off four straight games, breaking Zheng’s serve at 6-5 before sealing the victory with a confident service hold.

"Every match against her is tough; we both played at an incredible level today," Sabalenka said after the win.

Paolini’s Historic Run

Earlier, sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini put on a clinical performance, defeating Linette in just 77 minutes. Despite a rain delay earlier in the day, Paolini remained focused and showcased her dominance.

Paolini, last year’s Wimbledon and French Open finalist, is chasing her second WTA 1000 title after triumphing in Dubai last year.

"I knew my game was there, I just needed confidence. And maybe it came here," she said.

READ ALSO: Jasmine Paolini defeats Anna Kalinskaya to win Dubai Championships

What’s Next?

Sabalenka and Paolini will clash in a highly anticipated semi-final, with both players eyeing a spot in the Miami Open final.

Meanwhile, second-seeded Iga Swiatek takes on Filipino wild card Alexandra Eala, who stunned Australian Open champion Madison Keys. Emma Raducanu, enjoying her best tournament run since winning the 2021 US Open, will face American fourth seed Jessica Pegula.

Will Sabalenka continue her dominance, or can Paolini’s Cinderella run go all the way? Stay tuned for live updates on Sportsligue.com.

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