NEW YORK (AP) — Jessica Pegula has made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open again, achieving this milestone with a solid 6-4, 6-2 victory over Diana Shnaider on Monday. This marks Pegula’s seventh appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament, but the challenge intensifies as she faces the top-ranked player, Iga Swiatek, with her past quarterfinal record standing at 0-6.
Pegula, seeded No. 6 and hailing from the United States, comes from a prominent family with her parents owning the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. She is currently on a fantastic winning streak, with 13 wins in her last 14 matches, all played on hard courts. This impressive run includes two consecutive titles in Canada and a trip to the final at the Cincinnati Open, where she was defeated by the second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka.
“I feel like there’s been more pressure this year because I performed so well leading up to this tournament,” said the 30-year-old Pegula, the oldest remaining woman in the competition. “I want to continue progressing and hopefully play my best tennis in the later rounds this time.”
Meanwhile, Swiatek secured her spot in the quarterfinals by defeating No. 16 Liudmila Samsonova. After being tied at 4-4, Swiatek won the next seven games to finish with a score of 6-4, 6-1. When Swiatek won the U.S. Open in 2022, she eliminated Pegula in the quarterfinals.
“Jessica is in a great rhythm right now, having won so many matches in recent weeks, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Swiatek commented about Pegula. Notably, Pegula has encountered top-ranked competitors in half of her six previous quarterfinal exits at Grand Slams, facing Swiatek twice and Ash Barty once.
“I’ll draw from those past experiences and focus on how I felt going into the next match, but it’s always tough,” Pegula acknowledged. “I know this sounds like a cliche, but I really have to take it one match at a time. Every day feels different, depending on factors like who I’m playing and the conditions at the time.”
Also advancing to the quarterfinals is Karolina Muchova, who defeated No. 5 Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3. Muchova will next face No. 22 Beatriz Haddad Maia, who triumphed over 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. This marks Haddad Maia as the first Brazilian woman to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Maria Bueno in 1968.
At 28 years old, Haddad Maia has had her share of challenges, including a 10-month suspension after failing a doping test in 2019. She reached the semifinals of the French Open last year but had not progressed past the second round at the U.S. Open until now.
Muchova has had a strong year in 2023, reaching the final in Paris and the semifinals in New York. However, she underwent surgery for a wrist injury in October, which sidelined her for ten months.
“This was my most serious injury, but I love this sport,” Muchova said. “In my mind, I was determined to do everything I could to recover and get back to playing. And here I am today,” she continued, reflecting on her past experience where she lost to the eventual champion, Coco Gauff, at last year’s U.S. Open. “I’m just so happy right now.”
Gauff, who was seeded No. 3 this year, was eliminated on Sunday by No. 13 Emma Navarro.
In men’s matches on Monday, top-seeded Jannik Sinner defeated No. 14 Tommy Paul with a score of 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-1, setting up a quarterfinal match against 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev. No. 5 Medvedev, the last remaining past men’s champion in the tournament, dominated his match against Nuno Borges, winning 6-0, 6-1, 6-3. His victory was briefly delayed by a fire alarm that affected all ongoing matches.
No. 25 Jack Draper became the first British man to reach the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open since Andy Murray in 2016. Draper, who exited in the fourth round last year, secured his place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 win against unseeded Tomas Machac.
“I obviously miss Andy. Shoutout to him for an incredible career,” Draper said, reflecting on Murray’s impact on the sport. “He’s an icon, and I miss seeing him around. If I can have even half the career he has had, I’ll be very content.” Draper’s next match will be against No. 10 Alex de Minaur, who won 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 against Jordan Thompson in an all-Australian matchup.
Pegula had an outstanding performance against the 18th-seeded Shnaider, who is a 20-year-old Russian player known for her time in college tennis at NC State and for winning a silver medal in women’s doubles at the Paris Olympics.
Pegula achieved 22 winners, hit six aces, saved 7 out of 9 break points, and broke Shnaider’s serve five times throughout the match.
“My movement has really improved, which helps me stay consistent during points, sets, and games,” Pegula explained. “I’ve been serving well, which has allowed me to navigate through tough service games, especially against opponents who have strong returns.”
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