New York (AFP)
Garbine Muguruza, winner of Victoria Azarenka, finalist last year, and Simona Halep were the first to validate their ticket for the round of 16 of the US Open on Friday, which will see Naomi Osaka, as well as Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas try to do the same.
Winner at Roland Garros 2016 and Wimbledon 2017, finalist at the 2020 Australian Open, Muguruza (10th in the world) has never reached the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.
"It's a Grand Slam where I have trouble," she agreed after her 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory against Belarus (19th) over Arthur Ashe.
"But this year, it's working, so I want to continue. Playing on this court, in front of this crowd, against Vika, it's the perfect scenario. I feel pumped up," she added, all smiles and optimistic.
The 27-year-old Spaniard won the showdown after 2.15 minutes, relying in particular on her first ball in the first set, during which she landed five of her seven aces.
And after the reaction to the second set of Azarenka, still as combative in New York where she failed three times on the last step, Muguruza in turn raised her level of play in the last, managing to convert the sixth of her 15 balls break of the match, to escape 4-2 and conclude.
Sunday she will play against the Czech Barbora Krejcikova (9th), winner of the last Roland-Garros, scorer 6-4, 6-2 of the Russian Kamilla Rakhimova (115th) "lucky loser" after qualifying.
Romanian Simona Halep defeated Kazakhe Elena Rybakina in Flushing Meadows, September 3, 2021 Kena Betancur AFP
A little earlier, on Louis Armstrong, it was a long close battle, which became a little less so when Kazakhe Elena Rybakina (20th) seemed to suffer from her left foot in the last set, than Simona Halep (13th ) ended up winning 7-6 (13/11), 4-6, 6-3 after almost two and a half hours.
- Tsitsipas facing the Alcaraz trap -
Symbol of the fight that opposed them, the tie-break of the first set, snatched 13-11 by the 29-year-old Romanian in 17 minutes, just after breaking her opponent.
The winner at Roland-Garros 2018 and Wimbledon 2019 then suffered a backlash in the next round against Rybakina, revealed this year at Roland-Garros where she reached the quarter-finals.
But she then regained the upper hand in the third, her young rival appearing less mobile.
"It was a very difficult game. I knew she was very powerful. I knew I had to be strong and that I had to stay calm, but I did not," commented nonetheless relieved Halep, half-back. finalist in 2015 at the US Open, which will face the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (5th) or the Russian Daria Kasatkina (27th).
In the night session, all eyes will be on defending champion Naomi Osaka (3rd) who will play against Canadian Leylah Fernandez (73rd).
Stefanos Tsitsipas against Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open, September 3, 2021 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
The Japanese, who is seeking a third coronation in four years at Flushing Meadows, but is looking for confidence after several difficult months, between poor performance and state of anxiety updated by her resounding package before the second round of Roland Garros after her refusal to speak to the press, has for the moment saved herself well on the courts, since she crossed the second round without playing, taking advantage of her opponent's forfeit.
Previously, the 2nd and 3rd world players Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will have already tried to reach the 8th for men, against two Spaniards.
The Russian against Pablo Andujar (74th), the Greek against Carlos Alcaraz (55th), an 18-year-old nugget and presented as the future Rafael Nadal.
In closing, the slugger Andrey Rublev (7th) will be opposed to the American Frances Tiafoe.
© 2021 AFP