Twelve months after her first US Open semi-final, ten of which she spent without playing due to injury, Czech Karolina Muchova returned to the last four of the American Major on Wednesday.
She will not know her opponent until the night. It will be the world number 1, the Polish Iga Swiatek who beat her in the Roland-Garros final last year, or the American Jessica Pegula (6th). They will face each other on Wednesday at the start of the night session (not before 7:00 p.m. in New York, GMT-4).
To reach the semi-finals, Muchova (52nd) eliminated the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad (21st) 6-1, 6-4.
“I’m very happy to be in the semis again,” said the 28-year-old with a big smile, having had to end her season after losing in the semis of last year’s US Open to eventual champion Coco Gauff. She had surgery on a wrist injury in February and only returned to competition in June.
Haddad, totally non-existent at the start of the game, practically gave him the first round.
The Brazilian held her serve a little better in the second set but the Czech, despite stomach pains, managed the break to lead 3-2.
Her ailments clearly handicapped her on her next service game, which she conceded a point to allow Haddad to draw level at 3-3.
Visibly in physical difficulty, Muchova nevertheless immediately took over Haddad’s serve and this time she confirmed the break to lead 5-3.
In turn, the Brazilian then called the doctor on the court. She resumed the match, serving with her back to the wall in an attempt to prolong the duel.
– “Strange match” –
She actually held her serve, but Muchova then served for the qualification.
“It was a strange match. I had some physical problems that I prefer not to comment on. I managed to get through them by going back and forth to the toilet. Sorry if it was disturbing, but I had no choice,” commented the Czech.
She must hope that these ailments do not last too long because she will continue with her semi-final on Thursday, without a day off.
In the men’s draw, the highly anticipated clash between the world No. 1, the Italian Jannik Sinner, and the Russian Daniil Medvedev (5th), winner of the tournament in 2021, is scheduled at the very end of the program on the Arthur-Ashe court.
Sinner and Medvedev have already faced each other twice this year in Grand Slams: the Italian won the Australian Open final and the Russian won their quarter-final at Wimbledon.
In this half of the table very early deprived of Carlos Alcaraz, winner in 2022, the winner of this quarter will be favorite to reach the final.
In the semi-finals, he will face the winner of the match between the British Jack Draper (25th) and the Australian Alex De Minaur (10th). Neither of them has yet played in a Grand Slam semi-final.
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