WHAT HAPPENED: No. 8 seed Barbora Krejcikova did what was required, if not all she is capable of, in edging lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova, 6-4, 6-2, in a workmanlike third-round encounter on the Grandstand.
Both players cruised on serve until 4-all, when Krejcikova got a look at the first break point faced by either player. The 25-year-old Czech didn’t waste the opportunity, although in fairness, she had help from Rakhimova, who pushed a forehand long to set up her more experienced opponent to serve for the set. Krejcikova did just that, powered by two aces and a service winner.
Krejcikova then bore down against the 18-year-old Russian, who had already clocked nine hours on court just to qualify for the main draw. In this match, her first meeting against a Top 20 player, Rakhimova was steady off both wings but simply was unable to make her mark. While Krejcikova denied Rakhimova a break point in the fourth game, she otherwise raced to the finish line without drama or any real issue.
“It’s on paper,” Krejcikova said, “and then when you go on court, it’s always [a] 50-50 [chance].”
WHAT IT MEANS: Krejcikova is enjoying a breakthrough season on the WTA Tour as the reigning French Open champion, doubles gold medalist alongside Katerina Siniakova at the Tokyo Olympics, and one of only three women to win 40 or more matches this season. Somewhat incredibly, this is Krejcikova’s main draw singles debut at the US Open, having fallen in qualifying five times previously.
“I’ve played a lot of doubles and mixed doubles here, and I always got into the [singles] qualies, but they were very tough for me and I wasn’t able to get through,” said Krejcikova, who owns three Grand Slam doubles titles and the 2019-2021 Australian Open mixed doubles titles. “I’m really happy I don’t have to go through the qualies anymore, and I hope I don’t have to play the qualies ever again.”
Rakhimova, meanwhile, bowed to Kristyna Pliskova in the final round of qualifying, but received a lucky loser berth when Johanna Konta withdrew from the tournament with a left thigh injury. Rakhimova then registered back-to-back WTA Tour-level wins for the first time in defeating Kristina Mladenovic and Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Krejcikova advances to the Round of 16, where she will face former Wimbledon and French Open champ Garbiñe Muguruza.
“I’m super happy this year has been the way it was, and I’m still playing and I’m still healthy and everything is going my way,” Krejcikova said. “It’s very special to be here, to be able to compete at such a high level. I appreciate everything. It’s the fourth round. It’s something amazing.”
MATCH POINT: Krejcikova and Rakhimova are joined by Emma Raducanu in reaching the third round of their maiden US Open main singles draw appearance this year.
