In a thrilling day at the US Open 2024, both Iga Swiatek and Alex De Minaur secured their spots in the quarter-finals of the women’s and men’s singles draws, respectively.
Iga Swiatek, the No. 1 seed, reached her ninth Grand Slam quarter-final with a commanding performance against Liudmila Samsonova. Iga Swiatek, playing her 100th Grand Slam match, defeated Samsonova 6-4, 6-1 to advance to her second US Open quarter-final. This victory continues her impressive run, as she has now won 33 out of her last 36 matches and secured her eighth consecutive set win. Swiatek will next face Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows. Reflecting on her upcoming match, Swiatek acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “Playing against Jessica it’s never easy. Pretty tricky game style. You have to work low on your legs and be ready for long rallies but also some intense hitting. She’s a great player so for sure it’s gonna be a challenge.”
In addition to her victory, Iga Swiatek matched Ema Navarros’ record for the most hard court wins in the women’s draw with her 29th win. Despite Samsonova’s efforts, including defending break points and fighting back in the second set, Iga Swiatek’s clinical play ensured her progress. Samsonova struggled to convert break points and made errors at critical moments, allowing Iga Swiatek to close out the match on her second match point.
On the men’s side, Alex De Minaur made a significant breakthrough by reaching his first-ever US Open quarter-final. The Australian defeated fellow countryman Jordan Thompson 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a match marked by De Minaur’s resilience and strategic play. This win not only marks De Minaur’s 40th victory of the year but also his third consecutive and fourth Grand Slam quarter-final appearance. In his post-match comments, De Minaur expressed his evolving approach to the game, saying, “I’m doing my best to trust the process, trust the journey. I’m trying to find happiness outside of just wins and losses.”
De Minaur started strongly, taking the first set 6-0 as Thompson struggled with errors. Although Thompson rallied in the second set by attacking more aggressively and winning 71% of net points, De Minaur regained control in the third set with an impressive 93% first serve success rate. Despite a challenging fourth set with five breaks of serve, De Minaur’s ability to limit errors and capitalize on key points secured his victory.
Both Iga Swiatek and De Minaur’s advancements to the quarter-finals underscore their exceptional form and set the stage for exciting matches as the US Open progresses.
