2020 US Open: It's 'Moms' Day Out' as Victoria Azarenka, Pironkova reach QF
Three of the four quarter-finalists in the second half of the women’s draw of the 2020 US Open are mothers. Earlier, on Monday, in the day session, Serena Williams was the first to reach the last-eight from this section. The 23-time Slam champion will play fellow mother Tsvetana Pironkova in the quarters.
Pironkova beat Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 in two hours and 49 minutes.
Pironkova, who made her comeback to professional tennis at the US Open this fortnight, had reached the fourth round without conceding a set. In her pre-quarterfinal against France’s Cornet, the Bulgarian faced her first test of the Major. Pironkova served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but Cornet made a comeback before taking the set and squaring the match. Despite the loss of momentum, the 32-year-old did not look back in the third set, reaching the quarter-finals of the US Open for the first time in her career.
“I really can’t believe that I pulled through today. I was just so tired at the end of the match, and I didn’t really believe I had it in me. I just kept fighting and fighting and it finally paid off. I didn’t feel any pressure at all coming into the third set. I think I kind of changed my strategy and tried to be more aggressive because I didn’t think I would be able to run for 10 minutes every point. S, I just tried to play quicker points, and it worked,” Pironkova said, post-match.
The former world no. 31 is seeking the first win of her career against Williams. The two have played each other four times, with the American winning all four meetings.
2020 US Open: Victoria Azarenka reaching new heights, againThe other quarter-final of the bottom half of the women’s draw features the third mother in the fray – Victoria Azarenka – and Elise Mertens.
Mertens notched an easy upset over the second seed and 2020 Australian Open titlist Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes. This is the Belgian’s second quarter-final at Flushing Meadows in as many years.
The Belarusian, meanwhile, needed three sets and overcame the loss of the opening set against the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova to take her place in the quarter-finals. Azarenka won 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 against her 20th seeded opponent in two hours and 30 minutes. This is Azarenka’s first quarter-final at Flushing Meadows since 2015 and her ninth consecutive win, going back to the Western & Southern Open.
In her on-court interaction, after the match, Azarenka said, “It was a great match. I had to really dig in. I hope people enjoyed watching it because I really had fun.”
Azarenka’s match against Mertens at the 2020 US Open will be the first meeting between the two players.
Photo Credit: Pete Staples/USTA
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