Event of the Day: The US Open Quarterfinals
Our event of the day is quarter-finals day at the US Open in New York. The last grand slam of the year has already thrown up plenty of surprises. World number one Simona Halep crashed out in the first round, whilst second seed Caroline Wozniacki couldn’t make it past round two. Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova and Caroline Garcia were all casualties of the third round. As a result, defending champion Sloane Stephens and eighth seed Karolína Plíšková are the only top ten players remaining in the women’s draw. Plíšková faces Serena Williams today. The American wouldn’t have been fancied for US Open success earlier in the year, having given birth just 12 months ago. However, her phenomenal performance at Wimbledon in July, where she reached the final, means few heads have been turned by her surge into the quarter-finals here at Flushing Meadows. This has included a straight sets win over sister Venus and victory over Simona Halep’s conqueror Kaia Kanepi. Today’s other quarter-final sees Sloane Stephens, who last year became the lowest ranked US Open champion of all time, against nineteenth seed Anastasija Sevastova.
The men’s draw is equally as exciting. Defending champion and world number one Rafael Nadal faces ninth seed Dominic Thiem. The Austrian impressively overcame Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson in the last 16 to set up a replay of this year’s French Open final. Nadal emerged victorious on that occasion. This has been the Spaniard’s most consistent season since 2011, seeing him reach the quarter-final stage of each grand slam. Today’s opponent Thiem has never got this far at the US Open. He will be desperate to avenge the Roland-Garros defeat in order to inch closer to his maiden grand slam title. Today’s other quarter-final pits the impressive world number three Juan Martín del Potro against home favourite John Isner. Del Potro claimed his only grand slam title to date here at Flushing Meadows back in 2009. Eleventh seed Isner’s sheer power will offer a real test. Expect another superb day of world class tennis.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to stage 10 of the Vuelta a España. The peloton will go from the historic city of Salamanca, before finishing 172.5 flat kilometres later in Fermoselle. Brit Simon Yates currently leads Alejandro Valverde of Spain by one second. Further cycling action can be found in Bristol, where stage 3 of the Tour of Britain starts and finishes. Elsewhere in the UK, top of the table Surrey play third place Essex in the first day of their County Championship fixture at the County Ground in Chelmsford. The second match in a three game MLB series between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees comes from the Oakland Alameda Coliseum, with both sides very much in the mix for the playoffs.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by US Open