Important events
Pegula breaks through for 2-1 but Shnaider comes back immediately and the two seem quite evenly matched.
We’re off to Ashe where Shnaider and Pegula both held their ground, so the score is 1-1 in the first half.
Next on Armstrong: Jack Draper (25) against Tomas Machac.
Muchova says the intention was to play her game. She was nervous at the beginning, it was windy and Paolini is an incredible player, so she is happy to have won. She has not played for 10 months after reaching the semi-finals last year, but she loves tennis and did everything she could to come back. She thanks everyone who helped her; “I am a very happy child now,” she concludes.
Karolina Muchova defeats Jasmine Paolini (5) 6-3 6-3
Muchova runs around her forehand and punishes a winning cross-court to end the match. It’s good to see her back and playing like this, but make no mistake, she needs to step it up a notch. Next up for her: Wozniacki or Haddad-Maia (22).
Paolini loses an overhead in the sun, then Muchova guides a leaping forehand winner down the line – she wants this over immediately. And while Paolini makes it 15-30 with a great serve/overhead combination, another mistake gives Muchova two match points…
Muchova finds the first deliveries when she needs them, quickly 40-0, then another ball is hit back and at 6-4 5-3 she is only one game away from hitting only one ball in the match that was not a service.
Muchova makes it 0-30, but a mistake and then a nice volley from Paolini brings us back to level termsThat does her good: she is 30-40 behind, but cannot control her reaction to a forehand from Muchova to the corner, and at 3-6 3-4 with a break she is very close to out.
Shnaider (8) and Pegula (6) are arriving in Ashe, so they will be gone soon – IIt would be nice if one of the Sky channels would show this match instead of Muchova vs Paolini so I don’t have to watch it on my phone, but it seems no one has told uncle Rupert about this. Meanwhile Paolini makes it 15-30 and then quickly gives away three points to bring us back level at 3-3 in set two.
A love grip each which means Muchova leads 6-2 2-3. Both players are serving well, so this set could end in a point here and there.
Another grip for Paolini, and at the change of ends we see a graph that shows us that Muchova’s average position is on the baseline; Martina thinks that this makes it difficult for Paolini to react because the balls are coming to her faster and faster. But she leads 2-1 in the second, Muchova with one set to love.
I think Paolini is great, but Muchova is the better player and dictates more points. However, the second set starts with a draw, with the Czechs leading 6-3 1-1.
Paolini scores 0-15, but Muchova is so relaxed and quickly scores two set points. A high serve is especially effective against her small opponent. And from there Muchova comes in, hits away and five games in a row means she wins the first set 6-3! That was very impressive and it is clear that she can play better.
She is not at her best yet, but Muchova has adapted and it feels like the match is on her racket, as she has more control of the game and finishes more rallies, whether with a winner or an error. She holds for 4-3 and then hits a great winner on the return for 15-all; a mistake from Paolini then gives her 15-30 before she wins a net exchange with the most delicate of volleys. The first break point goes with a backhand into the net and the second via a shanked return – the ball was there for her – but when a mishit return runs up, Paolini misses her swing-volley putaway and at 5-3 Muchova will now serve for the first set! What a turnaround!
Muchova is now holding on easily, but can she also impress Paolini’s serve? So far she has made too many unforced errors to ask the questions she will have prepared, but she makes 30-all and then plays a nice point, a drop that gives her the chance to hoist a lob that is too good; break-back point. But another unforced error on the return, gives up the chance. No matter: Paolini goes long on the forehand and on the advantage, she tries a drop, Muchova gets it back deep and blocks a ball that is deliberately hit to her, before cleaning up. We are back on serve at 3-3 in the first.
Paolini is consolidating easily and it’s just ridiculous how good she’s suddenly become. I mean, the raw materials were there, of course, but they’d been there for years—she’s 28! I can’t remember the last time a player had a glow-up like that this late in his career.
This contest is so high fashion Anna Wintour is going to enjoy it.
Two mistakes give Paolini 0-30, then at 0-40 second serve hardly any trouble over the net. And although the return is out, Muchova scores at 30-40 and it is the Italian with the early advantage, 2-1 ahead with a break.
An ace on the outside of the line puts Paolini up 30-0, then Muchova hits a forehand pass down the line, into a run; brilliant shot. Then, at 30-all, Muchova plays a good approach to score her putaway, and from there Paolini seals the hold with a booming forehand. Muchova will be annoyed that she didn’t raise the break point, though, as she had done all the hard work in the rally. But it’s 1-1 and this is starting to take shape.
Muchova holds on for 1-0 and I would expect her to really attack the Paolini serve
I can’t wait for this match. I think Muchova wants to keep Paolini moving. Besides, she’s really good at moving, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets pulled to the net regularly instead of just being allowed to race left to right and let loose. I can imagine Paolini wanting to hit forehands into corners.
Our players are after Armstrong and the good news is that Martina is co-comms.
In her post-match press conference, Gauff said she believed the problem was mental, not technical. She said she can serve 30 times in practice and execute every one. But I’m not sure you can separate them, because we all saw her shoulder sag yesterday. A problem that may be exacerbated by the situation in the match, but it certainly exists.
On television, there is talk about Coco Gauff, whose performance yesterday was not always easy to watch. Laura Robson suggests taking the rest of the season off to fix the technical issue with her serve and Martina agrees that this could be a smart plan. Thinking back to her own career, she says she didn’t know you could get time off so she didn’t, but now that she knows you can, she thinks a break might do Gauff some good.
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Preamble
Yo dudes, and welcome to the US Open 2024 – day eight!
Sometimes the tournament organizers’ desire to put the biggest names on prime time is annoying, but sometimes it works very well. Today, for example, when our most enticing match is also our first.
Jasmine Paolini has had a great year, coming out of nowhere to reach the last two major finals, a bouncing bundle of joy and aggression who can hardly believe what is happening to her. But in Karolina Muchová she meets an opponent whose clever use of spin, angle, power and pace makes her a one-off who is hard to plan for. Or, in other words, this could be an absolute classic.
After Armstrong, Jack Draper – whose victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, the conqueror of Carlos Alcaraz, gives him the third seed through the draw – meets Tomas Machac. Draper knows what an opportunity this is for him, but the pressure is not too great because he also knows that there will be many more such opportunities to come. His swinging lefty serve and his certainty that he belongs make him a serious threat… but to get to this point, Machac has beaten Fabio Fognini, Seb Korda and David Goffin in straight sets and all of his best Grand Slam performances have come in 2024. He, too, believes this could be his moment.
Also on Armstrong is Caroline Wozniacki v Beatriz Haddad-Maia and Alex de Minaur v Jordan Thompson – pretty! – while our day-dig on Ashe brings Diana Shnaider v Jessica Pegula and Nuno Borges v Daniil Medvedev. So, eyes on another cracking day of glorious tennis. Awesome! Let’s go!
Play: 11am local time, 4pm BST