At the US Open tennis tournament, Germany’s Alexander Zverev advanced to the quarterfinals on Tuesday. He became the only player this year to reach the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slam tournaments.
In the men’s singles round of 16, top seed Zverev defeated Italy’s Luciano Darderi in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3). This was Zverev’s 50th tour victory of the season.
In both of the first two rounds, Zverev fought hard and won in five sets, and in the next two rounds as well he advanced impressively with straight-set victories. The reigning French Open champion will face the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in the quarterfinals. This will be the first meeting between the two.
Botic van de Zandschulp defeated France’s Arthur Rinderknech 3-6, 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in a five-set battle. Lasting 5 hours and 13 minutes, the match became the fourth-longest match since 1991.
In this match, Botic, who lost the first two sets, fought back to win the third set. In the fourth set, as Jia showed determination, Botic stubbornly saved two match points, came back from there, and pulled off a superb victory. Botic has impressed by winning in five sets in back-to-back rounds.
Russia’s Karen Khachanov defeated 14th seed American Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-4 in a five-set battle. With this, he has advanced to the quarterfinals in a Grand Slam tournament for the seventh time.
Belgium’s Alexander Blockx defeated Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo in sets of 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Blockx became the first Belgian player to advance to the quarterfinals at the US Open. It is noteworthy that this was his debut US Open.
He also became the youngest Belgian player (21) to reach the quarterfinals in a major tournament in the Open Era (since 1968). In the quarterfinals, Khachanov and Blockx will face each other.
For the first time in the quarterfinals: in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinal round, two-time Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Rybakina, who has reached the US Open quarterfinals for the first time, has now qualified for the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slam tournaments. This was the second meeting between Rybakina and Osaka, and Rybakina has won both. In the quarterfinals, Rybakina will face China’s Qinwen Zheng.
Qinwen Zheng stunned six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, defeating her 7-5, 6-3 in straight sets. In this match, Qinwen made a dramatic comeback from being 0-5 down in the first set and won in straight sets.
This was the 9th meeting between Qinwen and Swiatek, and Qinwen has now claimed her 2nd victory. She has also become the first qualifier to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open in the past five years.
World No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States defeated fellow American Eva Jovic, who was ranked 14th in the tournament, in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. With this victory, she qualified for her 12th Grand Slam quarterfinal.
There, she will face Russia’s young player Mirra Andreeva. The two have met five times so far, and Gauff has won all of them. Meanwhile, for the first time in her career, Gauff has won nine consecutive matches in straight sets.
French Open reigning champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia defeated Austria’s Anastasia Potapova, ranked 24th, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. With this, she has advanced to the US Open quarterfinals for the first time.
In the deciding set, Potapova fell while trying to return one of Andreeva’s shots. Andreeva immediately went to her, and fans applauded her for accompanying Potapova and helping her return to her seat.