World No. 1 Iga Swiatek qualified for the round of 16 at the United States Open by defeating American Lauren Davis (105th) 6-3, 6-4.
The Polish will face the German Julie Niemeier (108th) to try to reach the quarters for the first time in her career. Niemeier defeated Chinese Qinwen Zheng (39th) 6-4, 7-6 (5).
After a fairly solid first set, started with a break that she kept throughout, Swiatek had more difficulty containing her opponent, who played more liberated in the second set.
Davis took his entry serve and led 4-1. Moment chosen by the world No. 1 to enforce logic, by aligning five games in a row to win in less than two hours.
In the second set, “I mentally had to take one point at a time,” explained Swiatek, conceding that he had played “a difficult match during which I couldn’t really find my rhythm”.
“Nevertheless, I try to enjoy every game,” she added. Even if I don’t feel in the best conditions, I work to find solutions to each situation. »
This victory, if it seems less overwhelming than those won during his first two rounds, confirms his slope again upwards, after a hardly conclusive preparation on hard.
In mid-August, in Ohio, as in Toronto just before, Swiatek had indeed been stopped in the round of 16, then seeming very feverish, far from the stratospheric level which was his in the spring. Irresistible, she had chained 37 victories and six titles in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome then Roland-Garros, until her fall in the third round at Wimbledon.
Kvitova wins a close duel
Petra Kvitova advanced to the fourth round at the US Open, winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (12-10) over Garbine Muguruza.
Kvitova has the upper hand over Muguruza
Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014, Kvitova thus dismissed the big winner in Paris in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017. The Czech saved two match points, before winning on her fourth opportunity.
The 21st racket in the world erased a 5-2 deficit in the third set. She committed 12 double faults, but also 50 winners.
Kvitova is now 6-1 against the Spaniard since the start of her career. The 32-year-old was titled at Eastbourne earlier this year and also reached the final in Cincinnati two weeks ago.
Her next rival will be eighth-seeded Jessica Pegula. The American prevailed 6-2, 6-7 (6) and 6-0 against qualifier Yuan Yue. Pegula had almost twice as many winners as the Chinese (35-18). She has already shown a 3-8 Grand Slam record. Since that time, his performance at major tournaments is 22-7.
Collins dismisses Cornet
Alizé Cornet, 40th in the world, was eliminated on Saturday 6-4, 7-6 (11/9) by the American Danielle Collins (19th) who had put an end at the start of the season to the most beautiful course of the French in Grand Slam, in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open.
“Alizé was playing very well, she pushed me to the limit, I needed a strong mind to beat her. When you look at Alizé, she is still fighting, her game of anticipation is one of the best on the circuit, ”commented Collins, who will face Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (6th) in the round of 16.
At 28, the American had never passed the 3rd round of the New York Major. Finalist this year in Melbourne, she reached the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros in 2020 and the third round at Wimbledon in 2019.
The match against Cornet was very balanced, between two surly players who put all their strength into almost each of their shots.
The American broke in the first set to break away 3-2 and was no longer caught.
In the second set, each player kept her face-off until the tiebreaker.
The Frenchwoman got three balls to equalize at one set everywhere, but it was finally Collins who concluded on her second match point.
At 32, Cornet has never passed the round of 16 in New York and remained on elimination as soon as he entered the competition in 2021.
Sabalenka too strong for Burel
The Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, 6th in the world and semi-finalist last year, swept 6-0, 6-2 the French Clara Burel (131st in the world and from qualifying).
Sabalenka, a New York Major semi-finalist last year, will face American Danielle Collins (19th), an Australian Open finalist in January.
Azarenka Balaie Martic
Another qualified, Victoria Azarenka (26th) was in a hurry to sweep 6-3, 6-0 Croatian Petra Martic (54th) in 1:21.
The Belarusian, three-time finalist at Flushing Meadows, will face the Czech Karolina Pliskova (22nd) in the round of 16.
Pliskova defeated Switzerland’s 13th seed Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
