Swiatek 2-3 Pegula* (* – denotes next server)
Do they have rodeo in Poland? Swiatek gets so discombobulated as she races forward that she ends up swinging wildly behind her head, as if trying to swing a lasso, and hits well wide. Pegula hits a nice winner to ramp up the pressure, but she misses on the next point and gets handcuffed by a second serve to make it 30-30.
Then it’s yet another strange error, early in the rally, from Swiatek. Another break point for Pegula. Swiatek comes out aggressively. Pegula hits back and approaches the net, only to watch a Swiatek shot sail past her … and long.
First break to Pegula.
*Swiatek 2-2 Pegula (* – denotes next server)
Pegula gets her first winner, forcing a weak return that pops just over the net, allowing the American to step forward and smash away. She takes the next point on another Swiatek error, then hits a series of tough shots to Swiatek’s right, the last unreturnable.
At 40-0, Pegula shows great touch at the net, dropping a diagonal shot that gently settles to the court. Pegular holds at love.
Swiatek 2-1 Pegula* (* – denotes next server)
That’s more like it for the Polish favorite. She gets forward on the court for two forehand winners to go up 40-0 and outlasts Pegula in a 23-shot rally to hold at love.
ESPN shows fans at turnstiles. Get your butts in there, folks.
*Swiatek 1-1 Pegula (* – denotes next server)
Can Pegula hold her own until the crowd, which will surely be on her side, fills in? Why do people work so late in New York anyway? Or do they refuse to take the train?
In any case, Swiatek simply can’t sustain a rally. That’s five unforced errors in two games, and some of the “forced” errors were pretty bad shots as well.
Swiatek 1-0 Pegula* (* – denotes next server)
Break point for Pegula as Swiatek struggles with her serve and double faults. The world No. 1 again misses but holds her nerve to land a second serve and flirt with the lines all over the court to get to deuce.
Swiatek’s first winner of the match gives her game point, but she mishits the next one. Pegula’s wayward return makes again gives Swiatek a chance to get through this game in a mostly silent Arthur Ashe Stadium (New York traffic is brutal), but Swiatek misses on her backhand. The US Open stats feed is generously refering to these errors as “forced.” They are not.
On our third deuce, Pegula hits well and tries to wrap it up with a drop shot, but Swiatek is too quick, capitalizing easily.
On game point, Pegula hits aggressively. Very aggressively. Too aggressively – it’s long, and Swiatek can exhale.
Lost track of the draws?
Let’s check it out:
MEN
Karen Khachanov, who upset Nick Kyrgios in five sets last night, will face potential No. 1-in-waiting Casper Ruud of Norway.
Did we mention Frances Tiafoe? The excitable American will face the winner of the second half of tonight’s Arthur Ashe Stadium doubleheader, Jannik Sinner vs. third seed Carlos Alcaraz. A messenger on Twitter has registered his displeasure at the lack of coverage of Alcaraz’s five-set win over Marin Cilic in a battle for the ages – Cilic will soon be 34, while Alcaraz is only 19.
WOMEN
Tonight’s winner faces sixth seed Aryna Sabalenka.
The other semi-final has the aforementioned Caroline Garcia, who looked unstoppable against Coco Gauff, against fifth seed Ons Jabeur.
If you’re planning ahead – tomorrow evening’s session at Arthur Ashe Stadium (7:15-ish pm ET) will have the women’s semis, starting with Garcia-Jabeur. I’m tempted to skip rehearsal and watch.
Tonight on ESPN, 81-year-old Cliff Drysdale makes an appearance in the commentary box with Chris Evert. Drysdale reached the US Open final in 1965, before it was actually “Open.”
A computer likes Swiatek to win:
Swiatek will serve first …
Head-to-head …
Pegula beat a then-teenage Swiatek in three sets in Washington, not far from my humble suburban home, in 2019.
Swiatek won in straight sets in Miami and did it again in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.
Pegula is actually far more accomplished in doubles than in singles, but this is her fourth Grand Slam quarter-final in two years and third this year.
Swiatek was dominant earlier this year, winning in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami on hard courts, then moving to clay to win in Stuttgart, Rome and Roland Garros. She hasn’t been as successful since then and lost to the now-dangerous Caroline Garcia in her native Poland. In her last tournament, she lost in the round of 16 to Madison Keys.
Do you know me? My parents own the Buffalo Bills (NFL) and Buffalo Sabres (NHL). I have my own NFTs. I have a vegan skincare line. I’m the top-ranked American women’s tennis player, No. 8 in the world.
Do you know me? I’m the top-ranked tennis player in the world. I won the French Open in 2020 and 2022. I’m Polish.
If you said, “Oh yes, I know Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek,” you’re right. If you said, “When do Serena Williams and Coco Gauff play?” … well, we have bad news, even though each better-known American had a nice run in New York.
This is an intriguing quarter-final. And it’s a chance for the USA! USA! USA! (trademark The Guardian live-blogger consortium) to have another US Open semi-finalist after Frances Tiafoe became the first American man to reach that stage in 16 years.
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Tumaini Carayol on how today’s other women’s quarter-final transpired:
Under immense Arthur Ashe Stadium pressure and with a big opportunity for whoever was courageous enough to take it, Aryna Sabalenka’s destructive ball-striking was in full flow as she returned to the semi-final of the US Open for the second consecutive year, outplaying the former No 1 Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 7-6 (4) to reach her third career grand slam semi-final.
In a tournament with only one grand slam champion remaining at the quarter-final stage, Iga Swiatek, few contenders arrived as desperate to finally clinch their first grand slam title. Pliskova, the 22nd seed, reached her first grand slam final at the US Open in 2016, eventually rising to world No 1. While she has been a constant presence in the late stages of grand slam tournaments since, she is still searching for her first title.
As Ash Barty consolidated her dominance last year, for much of the season Sabalenka was right behind her, No 2 in the rankings, enjoying the best season of her career. After racking up WTA tour titles but falling badly at grand slams, she made back-to-back semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, but she has never gone further.
Now endeavouring to take the next step in her career, it was the fifth seed Sabalenka who came out sharp and determined to rise to the occasion. She served well, crushing the ball and imbuing her every stroke with energy and vitality. As she thrived, Pliskova struggled badly. Her feet were rooted to the spot, her service games peppered with double faults. Pliskova finished a nightmare first set with one winner and 15 unforced errors, her only winner an ace.
Pliskova was much improved throughout the second set. She started the set serving better, she stood up to Sabalenka in the tight moments on her serve. But in the biggest moments, Sabalenka was unplayable. She played an incredible tie-break, utterly demolishing the ball but also pairing her muscular, awesome power with delicate touches; dainty drop volleys, sweet lobs and one lovely drop shot in the tie-break.
Throughout this year, double faults have caked Sabalenka’s game but in seemingly every important moment, Sabalenka slammed down second serves over 100mph with ease. After striking 23 double faults in one match earlier this summer, on Ashe she struck three. She ended with one final moment of glory, a scene-stealing forehand return winner off a first serve to move on.
You can read the full report below:
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