She helped her case on Monday by passing Roger Federer’s Open era record for the most singles Grand Slam match wins – regardless of gender – with her fourth-round win over Yaroslava Shvedova at the U.S. Open.
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Later on Tuesday, Wozniacki will aim to make a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time since going all the way to the final of the US Open two years ago.
The 24-year-old Pliskova had never been past the third round in 17 previous appearances at majors.
Williams is nearly the complete opposite in demeanor on court in Flushing Meadows versus 2015, when she came in trying to complete the calendar Grand Slam, having won the Australian and French Opens as well as Wimbledon.
Shvedova did not put Williams under any stress and failed to even register one break chance the entire match against the 22-times grand slam victor.
Serena Williams sealed a record-breaking 308th grand slam victory by beating Yaroslava Shvedova in the US Open fourth round.
The younger of the Williams sisters made quick work of Shvedova, hitting 11 aces and gaining 19 of 20 first-serve points at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows.
“Today, my opponent tried to play aggressively, but I played that game just a little bit better than her”.
“To be honest”, Pliskova said, “it was really hard. when I lost my serve”. Still, as exciting and deserving as it was to del Potro, who missed more than two years’ worth of time with wrist injuries, he could sympathize with Thiem.
Even when the public address system blared out accidentally as she prepared to serve early in the final game she wasn’t rattled. Jimmy Connors was 174th when he made a stirring run to the semifinals in NY at age 39 in 1991. Nishikori awaits the victor of Monday night’s match between 2012 champion Andy Murray and No. 22 Grigor Dimitrov.
Murray next faces Japan’s Kei Nishikori who defeated Croatian serving machine Ivo Karlovic in straight sets to return to the quarter-finals for the first time since reaching the final in 2014.
Vinci, bothered by a foot injury this tournament and playing with her left calf strapped on Tuesday, was ahead with a break on three occasions in the opening set for leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4.
“But”, del Potro added, “anything can happen in this event for me”.
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Williams surpassed Steffi Graf for the women’s record with her win on Saturday. “I got the power from the crowd in every match”.
