Pegula Wins Quickly On Labor Day, Moves Into US Open Quarterfinal

Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 3, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

As the second week of the US Open unfolded on Labor Day in New York City, a familiar American presence, Jessica Pegula, made quick work of her fourth-round match to advance into her seventh major quarterfinal and second at the year’s last major.

On Monday afternoon, the sixth seed Pegula, a 30-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., needed just an hour and 27 minutes to beat No. 18 seed Diana Shnaider of Russia, 6-4, 6-2, to return to the US Open elite eight for the first time since 2022.

Pegula’s latest triumph, her 13th in her last 14 matches on North American hard courts this summer, advanced her to face World No. 1 and top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, who eased past No. 16 seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia, 6-4, 6-1 Monday evening, in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round. Pegula is 0-6 lifetime in Grand Slam quarterfinals, and 3-6 against Swiatek.

Last month, Pegula was successful in defending her WTA 1000 National Bank Open title in Toronto, then followed it by reaching another WTA 1000 final at the Cincinnati Open before losing to World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.

“I feel like there’s been more pressure this year because I did so well coming into this tournament,” Pegula said during her on-court interview. “To be able to still be here winning, I feel like today might be the best off the ground that I’ve felt. I want to keep working my way and, hopefully, bring my best tennis for the later rounds. There’s always a lot of pressure here, but it’s fun. I like it. It’s always nice being an American here and getting all the support.”

Against the 20-year-old Shnaider, Pegula won 80 percent of her first-serve points, hit 22 winners, converted five of 10 break-point chances and outpointed her opponent 74-62. She is yet to drop a set through her first four rounds, which has included victories against Americans Shelby Rogers and Sofia Kenin and Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Later, during her news conference, the thoughtful Pegula added: “I think I’ll just try to draw from those experiences and kind of how I felt going into the next match, but it’s just so tough. I know you don’t want the cliche answer, but it’s just kind of one match at a time, and every day kind of feels different.

“I think maybe the only difference is I had kind of a tough start to the year, so I think I’m a little bit more maybe appreciative of being able to turn it around the last month like I have.”

Medvedev downs Borges with ease to reach his fifth US Open quarterfinal

Daniil Medvedev is no stranger to playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium. After all, he won the 2021 US Open title and reached the finals last year. Under the bright sunshine of Monday afternoon, the 6-foot-6 fifth seed from Russia defeated No. 34 Nuno Borges of Portugal, 6-0, 6-1, 6-3, in one hour and 51 minutes to advance to his fifth US Open quarterfinal.

Medvedev had little difficulty with Borges, who grappled with 10 double faults and made 51 unforced errors. He hit nine aces, struck 21 winners and broke Borges’ serve eight times. It all added up to an easy victory for Medvedev, who will face World No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy. Sinner defeated No. 14 seed Tommy Paul of the United States, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-1, in two hours and 42 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium Monday night. He was bolstered by 10 aces, hit 29 overall winners and outpointed Paul 116-93.

Afterward, during his on-court interview with ESPN pundit Nick Kyrgios, Medvedev became playful around his longtime rival and foe. Kyrgios asked Medvedev what he loves about playing in New York, prefacing the question by saying “You are one of the best players in the world on this court, there’s no doubt about it.”

Medvedev smiled as he responded: “I love to play here. The crazy 2019 run, especially the final against Rafa. To be honest, whenever I played him, the crowd was fully for him. I played him once during Covid and there was no one. But I still felt like the crowd was for him!”

As the only former US Open champion remaining in the men’s draw, Medvedev said for all his success in New York, there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it.

“I try to work hard. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t,” Medvedev admitted. “There are days when it is tougher to go out on court and practice, but I have the mentality that if the other guy practices more than me, I have less chances to win, and I want to win all the time. So I try to practice as much as I can.

“I’ve had a lot of success here at the US Open, and last time I lost in the fourth round was against you. Good memories.”

Medvedev and Kyrgios shared a good hug once the interview had concluded. All was good.

Healthy Muchova reaches back-to-back US Open quarterfinals 

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova is making up for lost time. A year ago, she reached the US Open semifinals, then missed 10 months while undergoing surgery to her right wrist. Monday afternoon on Louis Armstrong Stadium, in just her sixth tournament of this season, the 52nd-ranked Muchova punched her ticket to the quarterfinals with a 69-minute 6-3, 6-3 win over No. 5 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy.

Paolini, who came in sporting 18 Grand Slam victories this season and had reached back-to-back major finals at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon earlier in the summer, was overpowered by Muchova. The Czech righty, who has not dropped a set at Flushing Meadows, was steady throughout. She hit 17 winners while only making 15 unforced and outpointed Paolini 58-39 en route to collecting her first Top 5 win since defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 Cincinnati Open semifinals.

Now, Muchova is through to her sixth Grand Slam quarterfinal against No. 22 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, who ended the run of 71st-ranked Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark. Haddad Maia defeated the 34-year-old former No. 1, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, in two hours and 41 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium, behind 40 winners.

Haddad Maia became just the second Brazilian woman in the Open Era, after Maria Bueno 56 years ago, to reach the US Open quarterfinals.

“It’s very nice to see a lot of people, especially Brazilians cheering for me and following me during the whole year,” Haddad Maia said, quoted by the WTA Tour website, after her fourth-round triumph. “I think that gives me the motivation to keep going also, because I know there is a lot of girls and boys who can get inspired, and they can also dream and see me on these big courts and see that if I’m there, they also can do it.

“I think it’s very special to be this person, and I will try to bring as [much] happiness as I can for everyone.”

Around the US Open

British lefty Jack Draper crushed 39th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, by hitting 36 winners and saving all six break points he faced to win the one-hour, 42-minute fourth-round tussle on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The victory lifted the 25th-seeded Draper, who was in total control from first ball to last ball, into his first major quarterfinal. He became the first British man to advance to the last eight at the US Open since Andy Murray, when he won the title in 2016.

“I thought that the past few times we have played it has been a really tough battle,” Draper, 22, said in his on-court interview. “Today I thought I played a decent level, he was maybe a little bit off his best but I had to stay strong in the points and it was amazing to play out here on Louis Armstrong.

“I lost last year here in the same round so it is nice to come back and do better this year.

“I just need to keep going,” Draper added. “I have great people around me and I love playing here in New York. I love playing on the big stage.”

On Wednesday, Draper will face World No. 10 Alex de Minaur of Australia, who defeated his Aussie Davis Cup teammate Jordan Thompson, ranked 32nd, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, in two hours and 57 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium. De Minaur outpointed Thompson, 123​-95. It’s the third straight Grand Slam quarterfinal berth this season for de Minaur.

Monday’s US Open results

Tuesday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

• When No. 7 seed Zheng Qinwen of China beat Croatia’s Donna Vekic in a rematch of their Olympic final, advancing to the US Open quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 victory early Monday morning at 2:15 a.m., it marked the latest finish of a women’s match in tournament history. Their fourth-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium that began Sunday night lasted two hours and 50 minutes.

“I feel really proud of myself because it’s not easy changing surfaces from clay to hard, especially because I went back to China so I don’t have the same practice like all the other players,” Zheng said afterward. “So basically, I’m just trying to hold myself, find a way to get the match even if I’m not feeling at my best.”

• Since 2018, Daniil Medvedev has compiled the most hard-court wins (268), reached the most hard-court finals (32) and won the second-most hard-court titles (18).

• With her win Monday, Jessica Pegula has matched Emma Navarro and Elena Rybakina with a WTA Tour-best six quarterfinals on hard courts this year – Adelaide, San Diego, Miami, Toronto, Cincinnati, and the US Open.

“Quotable …”

“We played here two years ago. Playing against Jessica it’s never easy. Pretty tricky game style. You have to work low on your legs and be ready for long rallies but also some intense hitting. She’s a great player so for sure it’s going to be a challenge.”

— Top seed Iga Swiatek, during her on-court interview Monday, on her quarterfinal matchup against No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula.

“For some reason, I do not [get nervous] in front of her. She gave me a good prep talk yesterday. … No, I’m thrilled. It’s amazing , honestly, to play in front of good friends and family. So, all in all, it’s a tremendous atmosphere.”

— Grigor Dimitrov, during his on-court interview Sunday, on the effect of having six-time US Open champion Serena Williams there cheering for him.

 

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