Barbora Krejčíková staged a dramatic comeback to end Taylor Townsend’s US Open singles run on Sunday, knocking off the American in a three-set thriller to reach the quarterfinals.
Townsend grabbed the opening set 6-1 in a display of momentum, but Krejčíková answered with a fightback that stretched into a marathon second set. Krejčíková saved seven match points in a dramatic tiebreak and escaped 7-6(15-13) to level the match, before claiming the final set 6-3. Krejčíková, ranked No. 62, advances to meet No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals. Pegula defeated Ann Li 6-1, 6-2 to reach the last eight, a continuation of her run to last year’s US Open final.
Townsend, ranked No. 139, had been aiming for her first Grand Slam quarterfinal and had just upset No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva in the third round, marking only the third win over a top-10 opponent of her career. Her week included a tense run-in with doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko, who later apologized on social media, saying the remarks were about tennis etiquette rather than Townsend personally.
Townsend entered the Open as a strong doubles player alongside Kateřina Siniaková, with doubles titles this season at the Australian Open and Dubai, underscoring her all-around talent even as her singles bid ends for now. Krejčíková’s experience and stamina carried her through a grueling match, setting up a compelling quarterfinal clash with Pegula.
What this means going forward: Krejčíková continues to show a mix of resilience and clutch performance that keeps her in the hunt for another deep US Open run, while Townsend can take pride in a breakthrough week that included a notable upset and a near-miss against a veteran opponent. Townsend’s ongoing development in singles, alongside her proven success in doubles, positions her as a versatile threat in future tournaments.
Summary: Krejčíková rallied from a set down to beat Townsend in a remarkable second-set tiebreak and advance to the US Open quarterfinals, where she’ll face Pegula, while Townsend exits with a historic singles run and momentum in doubles.