Sports
Draper, Medvedev, Pegula in quarters, Gauff humbled
Sabalenka beats Mertens to set up clash against Olympic champ Zheng
Jack Draper became the first British man since Andy Murray in 2016 to reach the US Open quarter-finals by seeing off Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic on Monday.
The 22-year-old left-hander came through 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 and has yet to drop a set at the tournament where he made his breakthrough in 2023 by reaching the fourth round.
Also on Monday, American sixth seed Jessica Pegula reached the US Open quarter-finals for a second time after securing a 6-4 6-2 win over 20-year-old Russian 18th seed Diana Shnaider while unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova knocked out Italian fifth seed Jasmine Paolini, beating the French Open and Wimbledon finalist 6-3 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
Muchova, 28, had reached the US Open semis last year.
Former champion Daniil Medvedev of Russia crushed Portuguese outsider Nuno Borges in straight sets. 2021 New York champion Medvedev won 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 in 1 hour and 51 minutes to reach the quarter-finals.
Medvedev, 28, fired 9 aces in his resounding win.
Earlier, Coco Gauff’s US Open title defence ended in a 6-3 4-6 6-3 loss to fellow American Emma Navarro in the fourth round, the reigning women’s champion becoming the latest big name to make an early exit at Flushing Meadows this year.
Gauff had been looking to avenge her fourth-round loss at this year’s Wimbledon but Navarro stunned the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium with an aggressive all-round display to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.
Third seed Gauff fought her way back into the match after going a set down but ultimately 19 doubles faults and 60 unforced errors meant her first defence of a Grand Slam title was destined to end in disappointment.
"Mentally and emotionally, I gave it my all,” said 20-year-old Gauff, who will now drop out of the top five in the world rankings.
Navarro moves on to play Spain’s Paula Badosa, who thrashed Wang Yafan of China 6-1 6-2 in the first match of the day at Louis Armstrong Stadium to reach the last eight in New York for the first time.
Draper on fireDraper has only dropped serve once over his four matches, winning 47 of 48 service games and saving 20 of 21 break points.
"I lost on Louis Armstrong Stadium in the same round last year so it was nice to come back and do better this year,” said Draper.
The British player hailed Murray, the former world number one and 2012 US Open champion, who retired from the sport following the Paris Olympics.
"He’s a legend and an icon and if I have half the career that he had I will be a happy man,” he said.
The 25th seed goes on to face either Alex de Minaur or Jordan Thompson. Draper, who models when he is not playing tennis and featured in a Vogue photo-shoot on the eve of Wimbledon this year, was supported from his player’s box by the magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
"Every player has his own style. It’s important to show your tennis style and style in general,” added Draper.
In men’s action, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe all marched into the quarter-finals in the bottom half of the draw which was left wide open after the third-round exit of four-times champion Novak Djokovic. Zverev, still searching for his first Grand Slam title at the age of 27, reached the quarter-finals at a major for the 13th time after coming from a set down to beat American Brandon Nakashima 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.
"I’m still very motivated,” said the German, who lost to Dominic Thiem on a deciding set tiebreak in the 2020 final. "I still want to achieve some of my dreams. I still want to achieve some of my goals that I have. I’m happy with the level of tennis I’m playing. We’ll see how this week goes.”
The fourth seed will next face another American in Fritz, who overcame a sluggish start to beat Norwegian Casper Ruud, the losing finalist in 2022, 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-2. Fritz was later joined in the quarter-finals by Tiafoe, another player hoping to take advantage of the early exits of Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz to end America’s 21-year wait for a homegrown men’s champion.
Alexei Popyrin ousted Djokovic in a huge shock on Friday but was unable to progress any further as Tiafoe, roared on by a noisy evening crowd on Arthur Ashe, ran out a 6-4 7-6(3) 2-6 6-3 winner.
Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka, the runner-up to Gauff last year, continued her impressive form to move into the last eight with a 6-2 6-4 victory over her former doubles partner Elise Mertens.
"I really enjoy playing here,” said Sabalenka. "The crowd are amazing. I just don’t want to leave early here, you know. I just want to stay as long as I can and enjoy this beautiful court, beautiful atmosphere.”
Sabalenka will next face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who beat Donna Vekic 7-6(2) 4-6 6-2 in a rematch of the Paris gold medal final.
Zheng finally secured victory at 2.15am on Monday - the latest finish to a women’s match at the Grand Slam. It beat the previous record finish of 2.13am set in 2021 when Maria Sakkari beat Bianca Andreescu in the fourth round.
Former men’s world number one Andy Murray said matches should not finish so late.
"The tennis scheduling situation is a total mess,” Murray wrote on social media platform X.
"It looks so amateurish having matches going on at 2,3, 4 a.m. Sort it out,” the Scot added, tagging the governing bodies of the sport.