US Open: Muchova into the quarter-finals without dropping a set, rolls Paolini

Karolina Muchova provided yet another impressive performance, this time against Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 5 seed, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals of the US Open on Monday

The Czech had won all of their previous meetings, with the two last clashing at the 2021 Australian Open.

However, it was the Italian who got off to the better start, breaking in the first set at 1-2 before being broken herself for 3-3, and losing her serve a second consecutive time for 3-5. Muchova then served out the set on the first time of asking without any fuss – 6-3.

In the second set, neither player seen a break point until 3-3, where the No 52 broke Paolini’s serve on her first break point, before holding her own serve to love, and breaking the Wimbledon finalist’s serve once again to book a spot in the last 8.

The Czech was particularly effective on her own serve and at the net, winning 82 percent of points on her first serve, and claiming 11 of the 14 points when she came forward. On the other hand, Paolini only managed to win 50 percent of points on her second serve, doing marginally better on her first serve at 57 percent.

This year’s US Open markets Muchova’s fifth major quarter-final, with her making the semi-finals at last year’s edition, before losing to Coco Gauff 6-4, 7-5.

Muchova, ranked No 52, will face the winner of the match between Dane Caroline Wozniacki and Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, the No 22 seed, next.

After the victory over Paolini, Muchova, whilst on-court, said:

“The plan was to try and play my game, I was a little bit nervous from the start, and it was a little bit windy. So, I was trying to get my shots and feel the ball. She is an incredible player, and I am really happy it worked for me here.”

Speaking about her next match, the Czech said:

“I’ll probably watch a little bit, I will just do a recovery and let the best one win. I am so happy to play another match in front of this amazing crowd, and see you guys in two days”

I am so happy to play another match in front of this amazing crowd

Karolina Muchova beat American Katie Volynets (6-3, 7-5), Japanese wildcard Naomi Osaka (6-3, 7-6 (5)) and Russian Anastasia Potapova (6-4, 6-2) ahead of her victory.

In the previous rounds, Paolini, ranked No 5, defeated Canadian wildcard Bianca Andreescu (6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4), Karolina Pliskova (0-0 ret.) and Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, the No 30 seed (6-3, 6-4).

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
• Caroline Wozniacki vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia
• Diana Shnaider vs. Jessica Pegula: monday
• 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