US Open: Stunning Czech Krejcikova saves eight match points and advances to the quarter-finals

Czech Barbora Krejcikova (ranked 62nd in the world) saved eight match points on Sunday against American Taylor Townsend (ranked 139th) to ultimately win 1-6, 7-6 (15-13), 6-3 and advance to the quarterfinals of the US Open. The highlight of the match was undoubtedly the 25-minute second-set tiebreak. Trailing 6-3, Krejcikova clawed her way back to 6-6 before winning 15-13. In total, she saved eight match points, including two on her opponent's serve.

"What a match," said the visibly moved Czech after the clash, which was worth more for its intensity and drama than for its quality. Having fallen to 62nd in the world, Krejcikova has not always been a second-string player on the tour. She has two Grand Slam victories and even climbed to second place in the world in 2022.

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Plagued by back problems, she was kept off the courts for six months at the turn of the year 2025. "Just four months ago," she recalled, "I couldn't play, couldn't train. I didn't know if I would ever play again." Krejcikova ended the run of one of the sensations of this US Open, best known for her performances in doubles, on the circuit on which she is world number one.

Townsend captivated the New York crowd with her disarming naturalness, her infectious energy, her ball control, and her sense of positioning. In addition to her performance, which included a victory over world number five Mirra Andreeva, she generated a wave of sympathy following a controversy surrounding Jelena Ostapenko's reaction to their second-round match on Wednesday.

The Latvian accused her of having "no class" and "no manners," criticizing her for not apologizing after her ball hit the net during a winning rally. Ostapenko apologized for her comments on Saturday, saying she was only talking about tennis etiquette and not about manners in general. "I understand that these words may have offended many people, beyond the court."