No. 26 seed Paula Badosa made a thrilling comeback on Friday, overcoming a one-set deficit and saving a match point late in the third set to secure her first-ever Round of 16 appearance at the US Open. Badosa triumphed over Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse in a dramatic third-set tiebreak, ultimately winning 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8). This match marked only the second deciding-set tiebreak in the women’s draw at this year’s tournament, with Ena Shibahara having defeated Daria Saville similarly during the first round.
With this victory, Badosa has now reached the Round of 16 at all four Grand Slam tournaments. She joins an elite group of Spanish women who have achieved this milestone in the Open era, following in the footsteps of Garbine Muguruza, Conchita Martnez, Carla Suarez Navarro, and Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario.
Zheng delivers commanding performance
Zheng delivered an impressive third-round victory at the 2024 US Open on Friday. After a couple of challenging matches that both extended to three sets, the 21-year-old decided to assert her dominance. Zheng made quick work of Germany’s Jule Niemeier, winning 6-2, 6-1 in just 81 minutes to secure her spot in Round 4.
The match began evenly, with both players holding their own in front of a supportive Grandstand crowd that favored Zheng. The first break didn’t come until the sixth game, when Zheng seized control to lead 4-2. Although she ultimately won the set 6-2, Niemeier pushed four games to deuce, showing more resistance than the scoreline suggests.
Zheng’s authority was undeniable in the second set, where she dominated with no breaks of serve and won 26 points to Niemeier’s 11. The Chinese star wrapped up the match with a commanding 6-1 second set, as the Grandstand erupted in applause while Niemeier struggled to find answers.
With this win, Zheng moves on to the fourth round, where she will face the winner of the match between No. 24 seed Donna Vekic of Croatia and American Peyton Stearns.
Source Agencies
