Two Italian duos shone at the US Open as the day delivered a mix of breakthroughs, injuries, and high-quality tennis. In doubles, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini moved into the women’s semifinal, while in the singles, a surprising withdrawal reshaped the women’s and men’s paths to the later rounds.
Errani and Paolini kept their stride, advancing to the semifinals of the women’s doubles by defeating Asia Muhammad and Demi Schuurs 6-1, 7-6 in 1 hour and 44 minutes. The pair, seeded No. 2, will now meet third-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe for a place in the final.
In a shocking development, Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from her quarterfinal with Aryna Sabalenka, likely due to injury. That result hands Sabalenka a spot in the semifinals, where she is set to face Jessica Pegula in a rematch of last year’s final.
On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz continued his flawless run, dropping just two sets en route to a semifinal appearance after a straight-sets win over Jiri Lehecka, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. The former champion is back in the semifinals in New York, with his next opponent to come from the winner of the Djokovic-Fritz clash later tonight.
Meanwhile, the women’s singles picture features Naomi Osaka and Karolina Muchova battling for a semifinal berth, with Osaka slightly favored and Muchova known for her dangerous game on hard courts.
Jessica Pegula continued her strong form, reaching the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Barbora Krejcikova in 90 minutes. After losing the final last year, Pegula is one win from rejoining the championship match, though she could meet Sabalenka if Sabalenka eliminates Vondrousova.
Tomorrow brings the first-ever all-Italian men’s quarterfinal when Jannik Sinner faces Lorenzo Musetti. Sinner, the world No. 1, is the favorite, but Musetti has shown form that demands respect as the showdown looms.
Sinner himself spoke ahead of the quarterfinal against his compatriot, noting that “the pressure is on me” as he eyes the next step in his title defense efforts.
Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed on the women’s side, is also in action in a quarterfinal against Marketa Vondrousova, who had earned wins over Paolini and Elena Rybakina to reach this stage.
In doubles action, Paolini and Errani advanced to the quarters earlier by defeating Fanny Stollar and Fang-Hsien Wu 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. They will next take on Muhammad and Schuurs as they push for a final berth.
On the men’s doubles front, Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli reached the round of 16, but fell in a tight three-set battle to Robert Cash and James Tracy, who will advance to face Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the next round.
Lastly, Amanda Anisimova delivered a commanding performance, crushing Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-0, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of a Major for the first time in consecutive rounds after her Wimbledon run.
In short, the day underscored the depth of this year’s field: Sabalenka and Pegula look to press their cases as favorites, Anisimova continues her strong major run, Alcaraz remains unbeaten in the tournament, and the upcoming all-Italian clash between Sinner and Musetti promises a pivotal moment for Italian tennis.
Additional note and outlook:
– The possible matchup dynamics could see Sabalenka facing Pegula in a high-stakes semifinal, while the doubles bracket continues to offer a strong chance for Errani and Paolini to claim a first major title together.
– The day’s results keep the title race wide open, with exciting crossovers and the promise of more dramatic twists as the tournament progresses.
Summary: A day of resilience and rising stars, with Italian tennis at the forefront, and the field now set for a gripping stretch run toward the finals. A hopeful sign for fans is the continued emergence of players like Anisimova and the consistency of top seeds, suggesting an exhilarating finish to the championships.