(September 1, 2018) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Madison Keys, Dominka Cibulkova, Carla Suarez Navarro, Lesia Tsurenko and Marketa Vondrousova moved into the round of 16 at the US Open on Saturday.
Last year’s losing US Open finalist Madison Keys has to rally to win her match on Saturday. She went down a break early in the first set 2-0 against Aleksandra Krunic. Krunic held on from there to take the first set 6-4. Keys could not seem to get anything past the Serbian.
Keys held off a pair of break points to open the second set, but broke in the next game and held for a 3-0 lead. Keys went up a double-break and won the second set 6-1.
The American opened the third set with a break advantage which she lost in the fourth game, but dominated the rest of the way to close out the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The 14th seed won 12 of the last 15 games.
Keys talked about the adjustments she had to make after the dropping the first set: “I think the biggest thing was I had to kind of figure out a way to get her off of the baseline as much. I think in the first set she was holding her ground really well and kind of dictating the points.
“You know, when I’m playing tennis, I want to be the one that’s dictating points and the one that’s not running as much. That was the biggest adjustment I had to make.”
Krunic beat Keys in 2014 at the US Open in their very first meeting.
She talked about playing her again at the US Open: “I think the biggest thing was just being on that stage more and more and being more comfortable in a situation where I lost the first set, but I know I can come back and all of that.
“I think those years ago I had played on Armstrong for, like, the first or second time and it was the biggest crowd and all that. Just the experience I think is a big help.”
She’ll play 29th seed Dominka Cibulkova who upset Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Keys talked about playing Ciblkova:”I think she’s super feisty. She never gives up. I think she definitely goes for her shots and is pretty aggressive.”
Thirteenth seeded Bertens missed on opportunities during her match against the Czech teen. She served for the first set at 5-4, promptly broken and Vondrousova takes the tie break 7-4.
Bertens came back from a break down at 0-2 and wins 24 of the last 27 points to level the match at 6-7, 6-2.
Things stayed even in the third set until the fifth game when Bertens broke serve for a 4-2 lead. The lead was short-lived when the Dutchwoman was broken back.
An important hawkeye challenge from Vondrousova kept her in the game and gave her a break of serve.
Bertens was not done yet, breaking back to reach a tiebreak.
The Czech Vondrousova dominated the tiebreak to close out the match 7-6(4), 2-6, 7-6(1) to upset the 13th seed. It will be her first fourth round at a major in the 19-year-old’s career. She is the youngest person left in the women’s draw.
“It was a tough one,” said Bertens. “I think it was a good level. I think in general the match was good. Just a few up-and-downs from my side, and it was just not good enough today.”
“I think it’s more physically and mentally. It’s just been a few tough weeks, I would say. I think enough is enough. So right now, I did everything I could today. I fought till the end. It was not enough.
“She did it really great. She played really two really great tiebreakers this match.”
“I fight for every ball. I was running a lot,” said Vondrousova. “So I think it was a great match. Yeah, it was so tough for me, but I’m happy to get through.”
“I think I played really aggressive and, like, the main points. Yeah, I run a lot. It was really tough for me, but, yeah, I just try to fight every point.”
No. 30 seed Carla Suarez Navarro defeated 6th seed Caroline Garcia 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4) to reach the fourth round.
Lesia Tsurenko defeated Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-0.
More to follow…
