Barbora Krejcikova staged a dramatic comeback to deny home favorite Taylor Townsend her first singles Major quarterfinal, winning 1-6 7-6(15) 6-3 in a Round of 16 thriller at the US Open on Sunday.
In a rollercoaster match, Krejcikova saved a total of eight match points to once again find herself in the last eight in New York, following her 2021 run at Flushing Meadows.
How the Match Unfolded
Townsend stormed out of the gates, dominating the opening set 6-1 and even going a break up in the second, with the crowd firmly behind her. The American was just one point away from victory on eight separate occasions, holding multiple match points in a marathon 25-minute tiebreak. But the two-time major winner, Krejcikova, dug in with her trademark resilience, erasing each opportunity before finally sealing the breaker 15-13 to force a deciding set.
Despite momentum fully on her side and Townsend having missed such a big opportunity in the second set, the third was much closer than expected. The first five service games all went to the server, but then the Czech made her move, breaking to go up 4-2. Townsend replied instantly, breaking back, but at that stage Krejcikova was too locked in on the return games. She broke once again and then served the match out, completing a remarkable comeback in a marathon that lasted over three hours.
Heartbreak for Townsend, Emotional Triumph for Krejcikova
For Townsend, it was heartbreak. She had impressed everyone with wins over 25th seed Jelena Ostapenko and fifth seed Mirra Andreeva earlier in the tournament, and came closer than ever to a singles breakthrough at the majors. Leaving the court in tears, she received a standing ovation from the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd.
Krejcikova, who missed the early part of the season with a back injury, called the victory one of her most emotional. “Just four months ago I was off the court and I didn’t know if I’d ever be back,” she said on court.
In her quest for a Surface Slam, Krejcikova will face No. 2-ranked American Jessica Pegula in the next round, looking to once again cause an upset against a home favorite. Townsend, meanwhile, remains alive in the women’s doubles draw, where she and partner Katerina Siniakova are the top seeds.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
