Marketa Vondrousova secured her place in the US Open quarterfinals after defeating Elena Rybakina in a gripping three-set battle. This marks her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since last year’s French Open and only her second appearance at this stage in New York. The 26-year-old Czech, who missed last year’s US Open due to shoulder surgery, took 1 hour and 51 minutes to claim a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory.
Emotional Return After Injury
“After everything I’ve been through, it’s amazing to be standing here again,” Vondrousova said. “It’s been an amazing week so far and I’m just incredibly happy to be here. I have a great team here and great people around me and we are having so much fun off the court as well.” Her comeback to form after shoulder surgery shows both resilience and focus.
Momentum Swings in Tight Match
The match had several shifts in momentum. Vondrousova broke Rybakina in the opening game to take a 2-0 lead. Rybakina then won the next three games to go ahead 3-2, but Vondrousova broke back at 4-all, finishing the first set with a forehand volley winner and serving out the set in the following game. In the second set, Rybakina broke twice and gained control, though Vondrousova fought back to level the score. She was ultimately broken while serving to force a tiebreak, giving Rybakina the set 7-5.
Dominance in Deciding Set
In the final set, Vondrousova regained control. She broke Rybakina twice and held her serve under pressure, saving two break points with three consecutive aces to close out the match. Despite Rybakina being one of the tour’s top servers, Vondrousova remained composed and precise when it mattered most.
Historic Achievement
This victory underscores Vondrousova’s strength and determination after a difficult year. She became the first unseeded player since Garbiñe Muguruza in 2020 to record multiple Top 10 wins en route to a Grand Slam quarterfinal and the first to do so at the US Open since Caroline Wozniacki in 2016. She also improved her career head-to-head record against Rybakina to 2-1, winning both of their encounters on hard courts.