Sabalenka beat Zheng to pick up her second Australian Open title earlier this year and used the same playbook at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she dominated the seventh seed with her trademark mighty forehand.
Fresh off winning the Olympic title in Paris, Zheng appeared drained and was missing one of the best weapons in her arsenal as she only made 44 per cent of first serves.
The second seed got a head start when Zheng dropped her serve with an unforced backhand error in the second game and went up another break when the gold medallist sent a forehand into the net in the sixth game.
First set 👉 Sabalenka. She leads Zheng 6-1! — US Open Tennis (@usopen) pic.twitter.com/jngUvZjzPxSeptember 3, 2024
"Against someone like her, she is such an aggressive player and that advantage at the start to the match was helpful," Sabalenka said.
"She's playing such incredible tennis and it was very tough facing her."
Sabalenka kept the pressure up in the second set, where she put up just six unforced errors, and Zheng dropped her serve in the first and fifth games after costly backhand mistakes.
The Belarusian produced a fine backhand winner at the net on the penultimate point and she clinched it with an unreturnable serve.
Earlier on Tuesday, Navarro continued her breakout season as the American moved into her first grand slam semi with a 6-2 7-5 win over Spain's Paula Badosa.
Navarro, who beat defending champion Coco Gauff in the previous round, stunned Badosa by claiming the final six games of the second set to wrap up victory in 72 minutes.
Badosa, flying the Spanish flag but born in New York, opened up a 5-1 double-break lead in the second set before enduring a stunning collapse.
The 26th seed twice failed to serve it out while Navarro twice held to love to pull ahead before closing out the match with her fifth break.
Emma Navarro hails her victory over Paula Badosa to reach her first grand slam final four. (AP PHOTO)
Navarro admitted that she came into the match having learned plenty from her run at Wimbledon, where she also beat Gauff in the fourth round before suffering a lopsided defeat to Jasmine Paolini in the quarters.
"Even though she was up 5-1, after that game, I felt like she wasn't totally confident in her ability to close out that set," Navarro said.
"I didn't picture myself playing a third set ... I felt I could come back and do it in two."
Navarro has found another gear in 2024 after having never advanced past the second round at a grand slam prior to this year.
She has reached the third round or better at all four slams, including a fourth-round finish at Roland Garros and a quarter-final showing at Wimbledon.
When Sabalenka was asked how she could get the crowd to support her in her upcoming game against Navarro, she replied: "Drinks on me, tonight? Drinks on me, and please give me some support in the next match."
With PA.
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