The U.S. Open quarter-finals kick off on Tuesday when Novak Djokovic takes on last year’s runner-up Taylor Fritz, while the 2024 women’s finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula face tricky tests against two unseeded Czech challengers.
TOP MEN’S MATCH: NOVAK DJOKOVIC V TAYLOR FRITZ
Novak Djokovic looks to continue his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam but must get past last year’s finalist Taylor Fritz, who is aiming to be the first American to win the U.S. Open men’s singles title since 2003.
Djokovic, who overcame injury struggles in earlier rounds and claim a straight-sets victory to reach the last eight, has beaten Fritz in all 10 of their previous matches, although the American put up a fight in their last two encounters.
“I think only the last couple of times we’ve played I think I’ve been this just better player that can, you know, I’d say compete and have chances,” Fritz, 27, said about his prospects against the seventh seed.
“Last time we played … I had looks, I had set points in the second set. Like, I really should have probably won the second, taken it to a third set.”
Djokovic, said Fritz, who won two ATP titles and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2025, had improved his movement in recent years, adding a depth to his game that was missing.
“That’s what got him to finals and semi-finals of Grand Slams. He’s knocking on that door,” Djokovic added.
TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: ARYNA SABALENKA V MARKETA VONDROUSOVA
Aryna Sabalenka has reached her 11th straight Grand Slam quarter-final without dropping a set in her title defence.
“I’m enjoying being world number one. I’m enjoying this pressure. I’m working really hard to be where I am … bring my best tennis and just to fight,” Sabalenka said.
The 27-year-old next faces Marketa Vondrousova, who has gone toe-to-toe with the Belarusian nine times in the last eight years, with Sabalenka winning five of those matches.
Former Wimbledon champion Vondrousova, who missed much of last year due to injuries, has won two of her last three matches with Sabalenka, although the Belarusian won their latest encounter last month at the Cincinnati Open.
Vondrousova, one of two unseeded Czech women in the last eight, has upset seventh seed Jasmine Paolini and ninth seed Elena Rybakina on her way to the quarters.
“For me, I have nothing to lose. I love these matches and I want to see my level,” Vondrousova had said after her win over Paolini.
KREJCIKOVA TEST NEXT FOR PEGULA
Twice Grand Slam winner Barbora Krejcikova has become something of a heartbreaker for American fans at Flushing Meadows, beating local favourites Emma Navarro and Taylor Townsend in back-to-back matches to reach the last eight.
Krejcikova now faces New York-born fourth seed Jessica Pegula, who the Czech has beaten in their last two meetings.
“Barbora, she’s so hard to play … she disguises her shots too well. She’s really crafty. She changes the direction of the ball. She can serve well,” Pegula said.
“I saw she was down 3-0 the other night. I looked at the score and I was like that means absolutely nothing with Barbora, because I know that she can just string winners off, like, left and right.”
Krejcikova was not bothered when the crowd cheered loudly for her opponents in the last two rounds.
“I really enjoyed the crowd. Even though they were cheering for Taylor, which … that’s just the way, how it is,” Krejcikova said. “I’m really happy that … I had the opportunity to play an American and the crowd was wild.”
U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON TUESDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1530 GMT/1130 AM ET)
4-Jessica Pegula (U.S.) v Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic)
20-Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic) v 2-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic)
7-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v 4-Taylor Fritz (U.S.)
