On September 3, fifth-seeded Ons Jabeur exhibited incredible determination and stamina, battling through a grueling three-hour match to secure her spot in the US Open’s round of 16.
Despite struggling with illness, last year’s runner-up pulled off a remarkable 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory over the 31st-seeded Czech player, Marie Bouzkova, who was hampered by a thigh injury.
Jabeur unwavering fighting spirit shone brightly, as she expressed her readiness to face any challenge that comes her way. Jabeur next adversary is the 23rd-seeded Chinese player, Zheng Qinwen, setting the stage for an exciting showdown.
On the same memorable evening, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova displayed her dominance with a commanding 56-minute triumph over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The ninth-seeded Czech player’s stellar performance resulted in an impressive 6-2, 6-1 victory against the 22nd-seeded Russian.
Vondrousova now gears up for a match against American world number 59 Peyton Stearns, who put an end to the impressive run of British number one Katie Boulter.
Meanwhile, Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her relentless pursuit of victory, breezing through her match with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win over France’s Clara Burel. Sabalenka, who has enjoyed successful runs at earlier Grand Slam tournaments this year, is now in contention for the world number one ranking if she can outperform defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Jabeur next challenge awaits in the form of the 13th-seeded Daria Kasatkina, who secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Belgium’s Greet Minnen.
In an exciting showdown, third seed Jessica Pegula successfully held off a spirited comeback attempt from Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, keeping her dream alive of becoming the first American singles champion since Sloane Stephens in 2017.
Pegula’s hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory sets the stage for an all-American clash in the fourth round against her compatriot Madison Keys. Keys, who previously reached the final in 2017, showcased her resilience by coming from behind to secure a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory against Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova.
While Svitolina expressed her disappointment with her third-round exit, she also acknowledged the positive trajectory of her comeback journey.
