U.S. Open tennis: Sinner, Swiatek reach quarterfinals while Muchova upsets Paolini

Jannik Sinner of Italy walks to the baseline during his match against Tommy Paul of the USA in the fourth round of the 2024 U.S. Open on Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing,

Sept. 3 (UPI) – Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner each used straight-sets victories to climb into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, while Karolina Muchova upset Jasmine Paolini on Day 8 of the tennis Grand Slam.

Muchova, the No. 52 player in the WTA Tour singles rankings, earned the first major victory Monday in Flushing, N.Y. The Czech tennis star needed just 69 minutes to dispatch her No. 5 foe.

I think it was a very tricky, tough match,” Muchova told reporters. “I was actually a little bit nervous. I don’t know why. It was kind of a weird match. I had a weird feeling in my body the whole match, but I’m glad that I won.”

Muchova edged Paolini 3-1 in aces and 17-10 in winners in her 6-3, 6-3 victory. She converted 4 of 7 break point opportunities, compared to 1 of 3 for the Italian, in the straight-sets win.

Muchova will meet No. 21 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil in the quarterfinals. Haddad Maia ousted No. 71 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in a three-set thriller, which lasted two hours and 41 minutes at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The Brazilian totaled five aces, 40 winners and converted 5 of 8 break point opportunities. Wozniacki totaled 23 winners and converted just 3 of 16 break point chances.

The winner of the Muchova-Haddad Maia match will face Swiatek or No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the United States in the semifinals. Pegula earned a victory in the early wave of Monday’s matches.

She beat No. 18 Diana Shnaider of Russia 6-4, 6-2 in a fourth-round meeting that lasted 87 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Pegula edged Shnaider 6-1 in aces and 22-14 in winners. She also converted 5 of 10 break points. Shnaider converted 2 of 9 break point chances.

Pegula has never advanced to the semifinals, in a singles circuit, of a Grand Slam. She is set to make her seventh singles quarterfinal appearance at a major.