Marketa Vondrousova claimed a stunning victory over ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 at the US Open on Sunday night. The late-night clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium lasted 1 hour and 51 minutes and marked Vondrousova’s second career quarterfinal appearance in New York. After the win, Vondrousova shared her excitement, saying it felt incredible to be back at this stage. She praised her team and support network for making the experience enjoyable both on and off the court.
Vondrousova started strong, breaking Rybakina in the opening game and quickly leading 2-0. Rybakina fought back, taking three games in a row to lead 3-2, but Vondrousova broke again at 4-all. She closed the set with a precise forehand volley and served it out in the next game. The second set saw a shift in momentum. Rybakina broke twice, but Vondrousova fought back to level the score. However, a late break forced a tiebreak scenario, giving Rybakina the set 7-5.
Vondrousova regained control in the deciding set. She faced two break points while serving at 5-2 but responded with three consecutive aces to save both and secure the win. Her composure under pressure highlighted her growing confidence at the Grand Slam stage.
Vondrousova became the first unseeded player since 2020 to record multiple Top 10 wins en route to a Grand Slam quarterfinal. She is also the first to achieve this at the US Open since Caroline Wozniacki in 2016. She now holds a 2-1 career record against Rybakina, winning both of their hard-court matches. This victory marks Vondrousova’s fifth career Grand Slam quarterfinal, her first since the 2024 French Open, and her second US Open quarterfinal after 2023. Vondrousova hit 13 aces, nearly matching the 14 she had in her first three matches combined. She recorded 29 winners against just 15 unforced errors, while Rybakina struck 40 winners but committed 38 unforced errors.
Vondrousova will face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Tuesday’s quarterfinal. This will be their ninth career meeting, with Sabalenka leading the head-to-head 5-3. Their most recent clash ended in a 7-5, 6-1 Sabalenka win in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. A victory against Sabalenka would send Vondrousova to her first-ever US Open semifinal, continuing her remarkable run at this year’s tournament.
