WHAT HAPPENED: Last year in Flushing, Karolína Muchová was on fire. She burned through to the semifinals to cap off a blazing season, and didn’t show signs of letting up. Just one year later, the rebounding Czech is in the midst of a long battle back—but the Queens chapter of it started with a first-round win on Tuesday.
The five-time Slam quarterfinalist downed rising American Katie Volynets in a hard-fought straight setter, 6-3, 7-5, staving off a strong second-set push from No. 57 Volynets.
No. 52 Muchova has been through quite a year to make it back to the US Open. Last season was a career breakthrough for the 28 year-old, who peaked at a lofty No. 8 and squeaked past No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka en route to a Roland Garros runner-up finish, before an injury ground her to a halt.
It was after last year’s US Open semifinal loss to eventual champ Coco Gauff that Muchová took time off to deal with a recurring right wrist injury. She underwent surgery in February and returned to practice in May, and her tough 2024 season has thus far been one of rebuilding.
But on a hot Tuesday in New York, she looked to be regaining last year’s form and resilience.
The players lept out neck-and-neck, with Muchova nabbing the singular break in a nine-game set. She held a thin advantage throughout the set, running Volynets around the court with drop-shot winners and impressive shot saving in front of a sunny Court 6 crowd.
The American didn’t go down easy—she held on to battle through a deuce in the eighth game, staving off what would have been a set-winning break for Muchova, but eventually succumbed to the Czech's efforts.
After a brief medical time out for Volynets, during which her left thigh received a heavy taping, the two were back in action. Volynets started to find her footing midway into the second set, breaking Muchova three times to the cheers of the home crowd.
But the former Top 10 player struck back with the final blow, taking the next two games to nab the hard-fought set and win the match.
WHAT IT MEANS: Despite this tough loss, Volynets is on the rise. The 22-year-old American has been on a steady incline since turning pro in 2018, and her current seat at No. 57 is a sizable jump from her 2023 year-end slot of No. 108. She notably downed Ons Jabeur at Indian Wells earlier this year in a straight-set takedown of the former No. 2, and will be an American to watch as her career matures.
But what’s next for the triumphant Muchova? It won’t be a walk in the park. The Czech will face down the winner of No. 10 Latvian Jelena Ostapenko and wildcard Japanese fan-favorite Naomi Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 US Open champion who is currently in the midst of a tough maternity leave comeback.
MATCH POINT: Muchova’s service game was hard to beat. She was broken only three times in the 21 games, and her average serve speed of 101 mph was 15 ticks faster than Volynets’ average.
