Swiatek powers into US Open quarter-finals

World number one Iga Swiatek confidently advanced into the US Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets win over Liudmila Samsonova.

The 23-year-old Pole had to work hard against 16th seed Samsonova in the first set but managed to prevail in style 6-4 6-1.

It is only the second time Swiatek has reached the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows, having lifted the trophy on the previous occasion in 2022.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek will face American sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

“At first, I felt like we were playing masculine style, just holding our serves, but I knew if I kept pushing I might have some break point opportunities,” Swiatek said.

“That happened and I’m happy I was there to close it out (the first set). Afterwards I just wanted to stay focused and not let my mind wander.”

“I’m happy with the overall performance. I feel better every day.”

In a closely contested first set, Samsonova saved two break points to hold serve until the tenth game.

Swiatek had shown flashes of brilliance but, with the set on the line, she put all her tools to work and claimed victory with a break at love.

There was no stopping her in the second set and Samsonova was no match for her combination of speed on the court and her powerful, accurate shots.

The Russian held serve at 5-0 down to avoid the dreaded ‘bagel’ but Swiatek, who did not offer a single break point in the match, served it out to advance.

Pegula feels ‘less pressure’ to break quarter-final curse

Pegula reached the last eight after opening her main court match with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Russian Diana Shnaider.

This is Pegula’s seventh Grand Slam quarter-final, having never made it past that stage.

“I’ll try to take that experience and how I’ve handled it in the past and what I’m trying to do mentally different this time,” he said.

“Maybe the only difference is that I had a bit of a rough start to the year, so I think I’m a bit more grateful that I was able to turn things around in the last month.

“Maybe I feel a little less pressure, in a way.”

Unseeded Karolina Muchova is also into the quarterfinals after defeating fifth seed Jasmine Paolini.

Muchova, who reached the semi-finals in New York in 2023, came back from a 3-1 deficit in the first set to beat the Italian 6-3, 6-3.

Paolini, 28, has had a breakout year in 2024, reaching the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon.

However, Muchova dominated her serve and was only five points behind.

Muchova lost to Swiatek in the 2023 French Open final and reached the US Open semifinals three months later, losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff.

But a wrist injury kept her out of action for 10 months, but she is now finding her best form again.

“I would say this was my worst and most serious injury, but I love this sport,” Muchova added.

“I am really grateful to all the people who helped me and now I am a very happy child.”

Her next opponent will be Beatriz Haddad Maia, seeded number 22, after the Brazilian beat former world number one Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Haddad Maia, who reached the French Open semi-finals last year, led 5-1 and was serving for the first set at 5-2 when the match was delayed.

A fire alarm had gone off in the building where the Hawk-Eye system was controlled and the game could not be restarted until the referees returned there.

When play resumed, 28-year-old Haddad Maia quickly took the set and started the second set by breaking Wozniacki’s serve.

But the 34-year-old Dane, a two-time US Open finalist, fought back by winning four straight games to force the decision.

Haddad Maia quickly took the lead with an early break and Wozniacki was unable to recover.

The success meant Haddad Maia became the first Brazilian player to reach the US Open women’s singles quarter-finals since Maria Bueno in 1968.