Aryna Sabalenka looked like she was on her way out of the US Open. Then, somehow, the defending champion found another gear.

Sabalenka survived a wild quarterfinal against Linda Noskova, winning 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7) after trailing by a break in the deciding set. The match came down to a 10-point tiebreak, where the world No. 1 eventually closed it out with an ace on her second serve.

Speaking during an on-court interview, Sabalenka admitted there was a point in the third set when she thought it was all over.

“I’m speechless right now because I was pushing myself to the limit in this match, especially in the third set. I honestly thought that’s it, the match is over,” Sabalenka said.

That moment may have actually helped her because with nothing left to lose, Sabalenka said she was able to loosen up and simply go after her shots. It was enough to turn the match around and keep her title defense alive.

The win also gave Sabalenka another boost of confidence on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, where she has now won all 10 of her US Open tiebreaks.

“That kind of matches, these kind of tie-breaks and these matches under such high pressure definitely kind of boosting my confidence and my energy and my motivation,” Sabalenka said.

She will now have a little time to recover before the semifinals. And she already knows one thing she wants to work on: coming forward more.

“Maybe big plan, game on the net,” she said before admitting she approached the net a few times but wasn’t executing well.

For now, though, there is no need to overthink it. After a battle that pushed her to the limit, Sabalenka just wants to recover and take in what she managed to pull off.