“I do not want to play more!” Ostapenko with a “shuttlecock” and a lot of mistakes allowed Gauff to reach the middle of the US Open
Alexander Nasonov September 5, 2023, 20:45 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Elena gathered up to 36 unforced. Are you really that tired after the win over Sviontek?
On Tuesday, September 5, the quarterfinal matches of the US Open began. The first match of the day was attended by the 2017 Roland Garros champion Elena Ostapenko (Latvia), seeded number 20, and the sixth racket in the world, Corey Gauff (USA). In the round of 16, Ostapenko became the author of the main sensation of the tournament at the moment, knocking out the leader of the WTA ranking Iga Sviontek from the fight 3:6, 6:3, 6:1. Later it became known that on September 11 the second number of the world rating, Arina Sobolenko, for the first time in her career would rise to the first line.
Gauff, in her fourth round match, beat another titled tennis player. The 2018 Australian Open champion, former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who resumed her career after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, tried to force the fight on the 19-year-old American, but couldn’t. she holds in the third set: 6:3, 3:6, 6:1 in favor of Corey.
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Ostapenko, before the quarterfinals, told how he managed to add lately. “It seemed to me that in many tournaments I play well. But in some moments not everything went well. But still I kept trying, it worked. Now it seems to me that my game is returning to its previous level. And I play more freely, in the best sense of the word. And I do not believe [о посторонних вещах] too much, ”the WTA press service quotes her.
Gauff also gave a description of Elena’s game. “Honestly, she’s either on fire or not. As for Elena, she hits the ball well. I lost to her at the Australian Open this year. Perhaps with her I have more “easy” points, more than in the game with Iga. Or maybe not. Perhaps she will have many winners, ”the WTA press service quotes her.
Elena Ostapenko plays at the US Open – 2023
Photo: LightRocket via Getty Images
In personal meetings, Ostapenko and Gauff had equality. The American beat the Latvian in the Linz-2019 final in three sets; Corey was then only 15 years old. It was his first WTA title for him. And Ostapenko took revenge on his rival in the fourth round of the Australian Open 2023: 7: 5, 6: 3.
The beginning of the meeting was left entirely in the hands of Gauff. Ostapenko, who served in the first game, immediately began making unforced errors and gave his opponent a break. After that, the American confidently took her serve for 2-0. Then it got even worse: after quitting her game for the second time in a row, the Latvian turned to her team: “I don’t want to play anymore!”
The fourth game was also for Corey: 4-0. In all these games, she gave her opponent only one point each. In the fifth game, Gauff also took advantage of the first break point, after which, while she was serving, she hung up on her opponent’s “shuttlecock” – 6: 0 in just 20 minutes. During the game, Ostapenko made as many as 13 unforced errors; anyway, a huge amount.
Corey Gauff in 1/4 of the US Open with Elena Ostapenko
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
In the second game, Ostapenko kept making mistakes and Gauff, like in the first set, started with a break. And only after that the Latvian began to understand something. In the second game she got a double break point and immediately took advantage of it – 1: 1. The third game turned out to be the most intense: Elena had game balls on serve, but she couldn’t squeeze Corey, but she hammered home the first break point.
In her next few games, Ostapenko was able to restore balance, but missed a total of three break points. And Gauff in the seventh game, when the score was already 4-2 in his favor, again took advantage of the first break point (Elena made mistakes again) and went to serve for the match. The American started the last match with 0:30, but then improved and on the third match point she achieved her goal: 6:0, 6:2 in 1 hour and 9 minutes. As for Ostapenko, she racked up as many as 36 unforced errors throughout the match.
This was how Gauff made it to the top four for the first time in his US Open career. In the US Open semifinals she will play match winner Sorana Kirstya (Romania, 30)-Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic, 10). This match will be played on the night of September 5-6, Moscow time. Follow all the events of the “Championship”.
