By Janina Nuno Rios
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Czech Marketa Vondrousova booked her place in the U.S. Open quarter-finals by beating ninth seed Elena Rybakina 6-4 5-7 6-2 in a clash of former major winner on Sunday.
Vondrousova, who has fallen to number 60 in the world, returns to the last eight at Flushing Meadows for the second time following her 2023 run.
“After everything I’ve been through it’s good to be standing here again,” Vondrousova said.
“It’s a long way to go but its been an amazing week so far I’m incredibly happy to be here.”
Vondrousova edged a tight opening set under the lights at Arthur Ashe stadium, punishing an erratic Rybakina who landed under 50% of her first serves.
After an early trade of breaks between the former Wimbledon champions, the Czech struck again and held to close out the set and take the lead.
The second set saw a more aggressive Rybakina grab the lead with a break, only for her opponent to immediately strike back.
The Kazakh squandered a set point but made no mistake with her second opportunity, unleashing a flurry of winners to break again to level at one set apiece.
Vondrousova battled back in the decider, breaking Rybakina twice to seize the lead and holding firm on serve to close out the victory helped by three straight aces.
The 26-year-old will face world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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