Beatriz Haddad Maia likes to say that the clock is her friend. Today, however, she was up against an opponent who has also never cared how long she has to stay on the court. The Brazilian star faced off against Caroline Wozniacki, and the resulting show, which lasted two hours and forty-one minutes, wasn't for the weak of heart. Haddad Maia didn't have too much trouble winning the first set, but in the second, Wozniacki elevated her game. The match went to a third set, and--as one would hope--the intensity grew.
Some of the shot-making was stunning, and the quality of the match was very high throughout. Haddad Maia emerged the winner, defeating Wozniacki 6-2, 3-6 6-3. This is the first time that she has ever advanced beyond the second round at the U.S. Open, and she is the first Brazilian woman to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Maria Bueno did it in 1968.
🇧🇷 Beatriz Haddad Maia beats Caroline Wozniacki in a high quality 3 setter with a tense final game 6-2 3-6 6-3 to reach her 2nd career major QF (1st since 2023 RG).
— TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) September 2, 2024
40 Winners, 39 Unforced errors
17/19 net points won (14/14 in sets 1 & 3)
13/16 BPs saved! pic.twitter.com/FbSNdjJasd
For viewers, it was the second part of a double treat. Zheng Qinwen and Donna Vekic put on an equally intense show the night (and morning) before. Opponents in the Olympic gold medal match, Zheng and Vekic picked up where they left off, playing for two hours and fifty minutes, and not finishing until around 2:15 a.m. (Bear in mind that another stadium was available, but the organizers kept them scheduled on Arthur Ashe--go figure.)
Vekic, clearly not at her physical best after the first set and a half, gutted it out and won the second set, but during the third (and readers know that I don't like sports metaphors, especially when one is already talking about a sport), she looked punch-drunk, like a boxer who had been hit too many times and was on her way down. Commentator Andrea Petkovic remarked that Vekic was the greatest competitor that she had ever known, and that it was characteristic of her to continue playing--and fighting like crazy--no matter what.
But that wasn't enough. Zheng defeated Vekic 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2.
As dramatic as those round of 16 matches were, they didn't represent the big drama of that round. That designation goes to 13th seed Emma Navarro's upset of defending champion Coco Gauff. Gauff's serve was problematic throughout the match (she double-faulted 19 times), and she made 60 unforced errors. Navarro defeated her 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
World number 1 Iga Swiatek is known to struggle with big hitters, but this wasn't the case when she played Liudmila Samsonova this evening. Swiatek defeated Samsonova 6-4, 6-1.
Probably the most anticipated round of 16 match was the one that featured Karolina Muchova and 5th seed Jasmine Paolini. Both are stylists, though Muchova is more of a stylist than anyone else on the tour. Both are good movers and good at anticipating. And while it may have seemed "right" that this match go to three sets, it didn't: Muchova won it 6-3, 6-3. The Czech player, who has played very few matches this season, reached the U.S. Open semifinals in 2023.
In other round of 16 matches, Jessica Pegula defeated Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-2, Paula Badosa defeated Wang Yafan 6-1, 6-2, and 2nd seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-4.
Here is the singles quarterfinal draw:
Iga Swiatek (1) vs. Jessica Pegula (6)
Beatriz Haddad Maia (22) vs. Karolina Muchova
Paula Badosa (26) vs. Emma Navarro (13)
Zheng Qinwen (7) vs. Aryna Sabalenka (2)
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