(New York) Czech Karolina Muchova, 52e world champion, will return to the quarter-finals of the United States Open after her victory on Monday against the Italian Jasmine Paolini (5e) 6-3, 6-3.
Muchova, a finalist at Roland Garros and semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows last year, will face Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki (71) in the next round.e) or the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad (21e).
Paolini started the match better, breaking to lead 3-1 in the first set.
But the Czech, ex-8e world, quickly found his marks and lined up five games to pocket the first set.
Paolini stopped the bleeding by winning the first game of the second set.
PHOTO EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jasmine Paolini
Nevertheless, with her very complete game, the Czech took the Italian’s serve to break away 4-3 and confirm at 5-3. She then had two match points on Paolini’s serve and concluded with a winning forehand on the first.
Muchova, 28, ended her season last year after the US Open with a wrist injury. She underwent surgery in February and returned to the Eastbourne grass circuit in June, meaning she has played very little this year.
After her quarter-final in Eastbourne, she lost in the first round at Wimbledon, was a finalist in Palermo, lost in the first round of the Olympics in Paris and in the second in Cincinnati.
When she arrived in New York, she had only seven victories this season, none in Grand Slams.
For his part, Paolini, who had never made it past the second round of a Grand Slam before this year, has a fine record, notably with his two finals at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.