(September 4, 2023) FLUSHING, NY – In an all-American contest, No. 17 Madison Keys stopped No. 3 Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-3 in 61 minutes to open the day session in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Keys, a 2017 finalist at the US Open will take on current Wimbledon champ No. 9 Marketa Vondrousova. The Czech woman came back to defeat young American Peyton Stearns 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 in Louis Armstrong Stadium in the fourth round to reach he first US Open elite eight.

The 28-year-old Keys hit 21 winners, had a 70 percent first serve percentage and was 10 for 13 at the net to up end the top American woman.

“Absolutely, I’ve had so many amazing moments in New York,” said Keys in her on court-interview. “Being able to, at any moment, come back from difficult positions in matches, in front of these crowds, has been amazing.”

Former player Bjorn Fratangelo, who is Keys’ fiance, is also her coach.

“Everything’s been really good,” Keys said on-court. “He’s keeping a tally of his wins and losses. Jessie Pegula’s coach, David Witt, keeps calling him ‘Coach of the Year’ and that he’s coming for his titles. So, so far so good.”

“It’s amazing to be able to look over and have his support. As a player he obviously sees the game really well. At this point it’s the smallest of margins, it’s a few pointers here or there, so it’s great to have him here.

“He’s really just kind of helped me enjoy being on the tennis court. Overall just really time on court, just kind of trying to get me to relax and take a little bit of pressure off of myself.”

“It was definitely just thinking to try to keep it up, and expected her level to get a little bit better,” keys told media. “Not to get flustered if things got a little bit tighter, and if she was able to break or anything like that, and just really try and stay in the moment.

“Honestly I feel like today it was just really focused on trying to keep rallies short, just because Jess is so good. The longer the rally gets, the better Jess seems to get.”

“It was really just trying to focus on trying to hit the best ball that I could in the first one or two balls of the rallies and luckily things just kind of went my way today.”

On facing a left-hander, her next opponent is a left-hander, Keys said:

‘I definitely think there is a difference when you’re playing a lefty. Obviously it’s mostly the serve. Just the spin that comes in is completely different than what you’re used to seeing.

‘In most cases, whenever possible, I try to get a lefty almost exclusively just to start seeing some of those spins on the serve.’

Vondrousova, appeared to be having some shoulder problems near the end of the first set, but appeared to take some medication which helped. Feeling better and the roof closing in the second set, helped the Czech game, especially her big serve.

“It actually started the match before in the third round,” Vondrousova said about her shoulder. “Yeah, I mean, I played tough matches. Yeah, the season is very long, and I feel like the balls are not helping, you know, with everything.”

With this injury, she pulled out of the doubles with Barbora Strycova, who was playing her last tournament of her career.”

“Of course it was a bit sad. I cried a bit when I told Barbora. Yeah, I mean, I had so many injuries that I don’t want to, you know, play with some more.

“Yeah, I mean, she’s a great person, you know, so she told me, It’s okay.

“I was, like, It’s your last tournament. I don’t want to do it.

“She was, like, Okay, we have to play 100% or we don’t play. So it was okay. She’s a great person.”

The 21-year-old American Stearns who recently turned pro in 2022, after winning the NCAA title in Texas, took in the first set by taking chances in her all-court game, but she produced more errors in the last two sets.

“She started, you know, very well,” the Czech woman said to media. “She was just smashing the ball everywhere, making me run so much. I feel like she actually played, you know, a great match. So I just had to fight, you know, till the very end.”

Vondrousova hit 9 aces during the match, her first serve was at 78 percent, hit 23 winners and she was 7 for 12 on break points.

Stearns became error prone in the last two sets making 52 unforced errors.

On playing Keys: “Maddie, she’s playing great tennis. We practiced before the tournament. She was playing great.

“I expect, you know, tough match. Yeah, I mean, now in the quarterfinals I feel like everything can happen. I’m just gonna go out there and try my best.”

It will be Aryna Sabalenka versus a newcomer to a major quarterfinal, China’s Zheng Qinwen. Zheng beat No. 5 Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4.

 “I feel this is like important win for me,” Zheng said in hr news conference. “It’s a breakthrough. Especially I got good tennis today. It’s not I win a tennis, like, defensive way. I win the match today just by my own to really go ahead to take the match.”

The soon-to-be No. 1 Sabalenka beat Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to open the night session.

“I think I’m playing great tennis. But there is always things to improve. There is always things to keep building and keep getting better with every match you playing.

“But I’m definitely happy with the level I play right now.”

On playing Zheng:

“I mean, we practiced with her couple of times. She’s playing really great tennis. As you said, forehand is really heavy. I would say backhand, as well. Serving well. Moving well.

“It’s like for her nothing to lose, so she’s playing at her best. She played great tennis against Ons. I haven’t watched her previous matches, but, yeah, she’s playing great tennis right now.

“I mean, the trickiest part that she’s moving well, playing some heavy shots. I have to be physically and mentally ready that it’s going to be some winners against me on that match.

“I just have to focus on myself more than on her, on my game. I know if I’ll bring my tennis there, I have chance to win this match.

“About the world No. 1, it’s not change anything. Yes, I was No. 2, now I’m No. 1. It’s great. Of course, it’s like a great achievement. It’s one of the goals. It’s great to say that, yeah, I’ve been world No. 1. But it’s not changing anything.

“You still have to bring your best tennis. Even sometimes players have nothing to lose against you, they’re playing their best tennis, so sometimes it’s even tougher.

“I’m not focusing on that. It’s ranking in sport. Anybody can beat anybody. I’m trying to focus on myself and improve myself more, doing everything to bring my best tennis on each match.”