US Open: Haddad Maia battles past Wozniacki to reach first quarter-final in New York

Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, the No 22 seed, won a two-and-a-half hour battle against Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open for the very first time. She has previously only reached the final eight at a Grand Slam once – at Roland Garros into 2022 -, with the former world No 10 doing so in sensational fashion.

The first set seen an exchange of breaks to begin, however, it was Haddad Maia that regrouped in a more impressive fashion, with the former Grand Slam champion being broken in all of her first three service games to go down a double break for 4-1. Both held from there to end the set 6-2 in the Brazilian’s favour.

In the second set, the former No1 was clearly rattled by her serve not being in working order, and was subsequently broken straight away. However, Wozniacki rarely goes away easily and this set was no exception, breaking straight back and then doing so once more, eventually taking the set 6-3.

The Dane could not hold the momentum in the third set, being broken again to begin, just like the previous two sets, and this would prove fatal. Haddad Maia faced two break points while trying to serve the set out at 5-3, with Wozniacki saving the first match point with a sensational backhand down the line. Haddad Maia finished the match off with a second serve which was below 60mph and too slow for the speed gun to correctly register, which exemplified the nerves on both ends, and took the match 6-3 in the third.

The Brazilian, who was clearly emotional, spoke after the match about the victory:

“Caroline is a fighter, I respect her a lot, her career is amazing, she reached the No 1 and won a lot of titles. When I first turned professional, she was at the top, so it’s not easy to change the mindset and understand it is not the television, it is real. I improved the focus a lot and I am very happy because I respect her a lot.”

When I first turned professional, she was at the top

Haddad Maia on Wozniacki

Haddad Maia, ranked No 21, will face Karolina Muchova next.

Ahead of her victory, the Brazilian defeated Armenian Elina Avanesyan (4-6, 6-0, 6-2), Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo (6-2, 6-1) and Russian Anna Kalinskaya, the No 15 seed (6-3, 6-1).

Wozniacki, ranked No 71, won against Japanese qualifier Nao Hibino (6-0, 6-1), Mexican Renata Zarazua (6-3, 6-3) and French qualifier Jessika Ponchet (6-3, 6-2) in the previous rounds.

New York (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 75.000.000, most recent results first):

• Iga Swiatek vs. Liudmila Samsonova
• Jessica Pegula (6) beat Diana Shnaider (18): 6-4, 6-2
• Karolina Muchova beat Jasmine Paolini (5): 6-3, 6-3
• Qinwen Zheng (7) beat Donna Vekic (24): 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2
• Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Elise Mertens (33): 6-2, 6-4
• Emma Navarro (13) beat Coco Gauff (3): 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
• Paula Badosa (26) beat Yafan Wang: 6-1, 6-2