Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula advanced to the US Open quarterfinals from the tournament’s top half, keeping alive a potential repeat of last year’s finalist showdown and underscoring the depth in the women’s draw. Sabalenka, the No. 1 seed, and Pegula, No. 4, are both defending finalists at Flushing Meadows, with two very different yet equally intriguing paths to the business end of the tournament.
Their quarterfinal opponents are unseeded but carry big-game credentials. The Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova and Barbora Krejcikova—former Wimbledon champions both—have battled back from injuries to reach the elite eight, making it a rare all-unseeded pair from the same country in the quarterfinals since Belgians Kim Clijsters and Yanina Wickmayer did it 16 years ago.
Vondrousova earned a breakthrough win in the late Sunday night session, upsetting No. 9 seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Krejcikova’s surge to the quarters was even more dramatic: she beat No. 10 Emma Navarro in the third round and then saved eight match points in a three-hour-plus fourth-round duel against Taylor Townsend to seal her spot.
Sabalenka vs. Vondrousova promises a clash of very different approaches. Sabalenka, who has dominated the hard-court portion of the season, holds a 5-4 edge in their head-to-head on the surface and has been the more consistent winner this year. Importantly for Sabalenka, her path to the quarterfinals also delivered her a guarantee of finishing the tournament as world No. 1. She’s embraced the role, saying she’s enjoying the top ranking and the spotlight, and focusing on bringing her best tennis.
Vondrousova, meanwhile, is riding a wave of resilience. After two major surgeries in recent years, she’s back in major-quarterfinals form and has proven she can close out hard-fought matches. She struck 13 aces in the Rybakina win and now has 27 aces for the tournament, the most of any remaining player, a testament to her aggressive serving when asked to stay in rallies with Sabalenka. Her win over Rybakina continued her run of big wins, including recent successes over other top-10 opponents. The late-season momentum is a strong signal she’ll be dangerous in New York until the last point.
No. 4 Pegula vs. Barbora Krejcikova adds another intriguing matchup. Krejcikova holds a 2-1 advantage in their career series, including a 6-3, 6-3 win in last year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh. Pegula, entering the match with the form that has made her one of the most consistent Americans on tour, has been nearly flawless in this tournament, dropping just 17 games across four matches to reach the quarters. Pegula’s game at the net has been notably effective, and her experience—she’s the oldest remaining player at 31—has translated into patient, efficient tennis on big points. Pegula also ranks among the leaders in wins on U.S. soil this year, underscoring her steady improvement and confidence on home soil.
Two other notable notes: Krejcikova has built her resume beyond singles, with multiple Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed, and she’s spoken in the past about approaching critical moments with a calm mind. That mindset showed in Townsend’s marathon match, where Krejcikova stayed composed even with an opponent mounting a late surge. For Sabalenka, the title-defense narrative and her push to complete a standout year—marked by reaching the quarterfinals at all four majors as World No. 1—continues to define the storyline around this half of the draw.
Outlook and value-added angles:
– If Sabalenka can navigate Vondrousova, she would reinforce her No. 1 status and set up a potentially championship-caliber run in New York.
– Vondrousova’s resilient, all-court game and her capacity to deliver when under pressure make her a real threat to disrupt the seed-based expectations.
– Pegula’s age and experience, combined with her weapons from the baseline and improvements at the net, give her a strong chance to outmaneuver Krejcikova and keep her own title hopes alive.
– Krejcikova’s late-career resurgence demonstrates the unpredictable nature of slams where unseeded players can force their way through a deep field, especially when backed by strong serving and mental toughness.
Summary: The top half of the US Open draw is delivering drama, with two defending finalists facing two unseeded, resilient challengers who have shown the ability to win big matches. The outcomes will shape not only the championship narrative but also the race for the year-end No. 1 ranking, as Sabalenka rides momentum off the back of clinching the top ranking and Vondrousova and Krejcikova chase more Grand Slam glory against seasoned American and international competition.
Optional hopeful takeaway: The quarterfinals set the stage for a dramatic, feel-good storyline—two former Wimbledon champions returning from injury and a serve-driven American veteran pushing toward another major title—emphasizing resilience, depth, and the beauty of the sport when narrative meets exceptional tennis.