Aryna Sabalenka continued her unbeaten run since the Cincinnati Open with a win over America’s Ashlyn Krueger in Beijing.

The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion kept her hopes alive of a second straight WTA-1000 title this week in Beijing.

Aryna Sabalenka moved to 14 wins in a row – one away from matching her career best – by beating American 20-year-old Ashlyn Krueger at the expense of just four games.

The world number two capitalised on five of seven break-point opportunities to power past the American inside 74 minutes.

Far from her best however, Sabalenka will face another American in 18th seed Madison Keys for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Despite the convincing results so far and ever-improving streak, the top seed hasn’t had things all her own way.

Sabalenka admitted she faced a tough opening match, with her plucky Thai opponent, Mananchaya Sawangkaew, forcing her to stay patient.

Speaking after her victory against Krueger, the Belarusian acknowledged she is having to resort to a more determined style of play as she searches for her true level.

“Maybe right now I’m not playing my best, best tennis,” Sabalenka confessed to WTA Insider.

“But I think the way I’m controlling my emotions and the way I’m holding myself sometimes really helping me to stay in most of the matches, in those difficult situations to keep fighting and keep playing my best tennis.”

With the big-hitting pair last meeting in a thrilling comeback win for Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open semi-finals, the Belarusian leads their rivalry 3-1.

The American’s only win came in a three-set round of 16 match in Berlin three years ago.

Keys, a Grand Slam finalist, has walked to impressive wins so far in Beijing, defeating Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, before advancing past recent Korean Open champion Beatriz Haddad-Maia.

The 29-year-old is certainly capable of an upset and if she shows up firing, historically she’s been very difficult to stop.