Svitolina cracks into the last eight with straight sets win over Keys at US Open

Elina Svitolina celebrates her first round of 16 win at the US Open in straight sets over Madison Keys

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Elina Svitolina had a strong service game and kept the pressure high to move into her first US Open quarterfinal Sunday night. A relaxed and focused straight sets win over Madison Keys ended her opponent’s 10 match win streak at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 7-5, 6-4 result at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The 24-year-old officially marked her place in the quarterfinal of every single grand slam.

This marked the fourth match between the two with the American leading the series including her win two years ago. The Illinois native had yet to drop a set and held off Sofia Kenin from getting a leg up on her in the third round. The world number five had a similar result against Dayana Yastremska who she blanked in the second set.

Having yet to drop a set, the two top ten players would likely go to the brink of their match. Svitolina once again had a chance to surpass her round of 16 finish and would have a challenge getting any leverage against the 2017 finalist of the tournament.

The American opened with a 111mph ace but struggled with the first serve at times. She managed to hold serve against the fifth seed but found little chance of breaking the Ukrainian. After five service holds, Svitolina had a slight edge winning 9 of 9 from the first serve. Her first double fault was committed in the sixth but held firm to remain even with Keys. The fifth seed produced a chance for a break in the following game, but the defense from the 10^th seed shut the opportunity down maintain the pace for her benefit.

After the four-all tie, Keys not only upped her ace record to six but sent it to Svitolina at 122 mph. It set up a strong service hold from Keys pressuring the Ukrainian to falter. Errors assisted in the tenth straight service hold with Svitolina gaining a shot at the set. The backhand let the American down setting up two break points but a recovery of crosscourt winners brought the tenth seed to deuce.

Two smothered forehands gave Svitolina the break needed to serve for the set at 6-5.  

A good net-front crosscourt opened scoring for the world number five who painted the line on a great return. With an error giving her two set points, Svitolina watched a wide return from Keys put the set to rest after 38 minutes. It was the 21^st of the set that practically negated the 20 winners she produced.

To get back on the right track, Keys put together a strong service game in the second set. Svitolina looked to take advantage but committed the second double fault of the match. Errors blew her 40-0 start but held with another forehand from Keys going into the net. An early break arrived for the Ukrainian as the errors from the 10^th seed racked up quickly. They returned to service holds where the lead remained with Svitolina after seven.

.@ElinaSvitolina completes the quarterfinals for the bottom half at the @usopen!

She knocks out Keys in a tough 7-5, 6-4 decision--> https://t.co/s2XTYTuFSy pic.twitter.com/86Uyi33vhT

— WTA (@WTA) September 2, 2019

A key hold made it 5-3 for the fifth seed putting Keys on the edge with a hold needed to stay alive. Drawn errors by Svitolina kept the American in the hunt with a line drive winner clinching the ninth on serve. The fifth seed cruised to victory with Keys continuing the onslaught of backhand errors that finished the match in 1 hour and 14 minutes.

“It was really good serving for me tonight,” Svitolina said to ESPN reporter Renee Stubbs. “I was feeling very good with my footwork as well and very pleased that I could play very consistent tonight and to play in such a great atmosphere is very special.”

It was the first time Keys lost a match at night ending a decade long streak of success. With the motivation moving her into Tuesday match against Johanna Konta, Svitolina had her eyes set on further progress. “It’s gonna be another great battle and looking forward to facing her she said. “We always had some tough matches and for me, it’s gonna be another challenge which I’m going to accept and go out there and play my best game.”

Svitolina schools Yastremska to reach round of 16 at US Open

Elina Svitolina celebrates a strong outcome against Dayana Yastremska in the third round of the US Open. 

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Dayana Yastremska was schooled to destruction at the US Open Friday night. Elina Svitolina  showed her the ropes playing beautiful tennis at Louis Armstrong Stadium to win 6-2, 6-0 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

The up and coming Ukrainian took on her idol compatriot for the first time. In what was a long-awaited matchup, the two Ukrainians had plenty of tactics to use on one another leaving the fifth seed to prepare for anything that Yastremska brought to the hardcourt. The 19-year-old won more WTA titles faster than Svitolina that showed her ability to pull off an upset. With her experienced opponent having yet dropped a set the teen would need to pressure and keep it heavily with focus.

Yastremska served to open the match but erred twice, double-faulted and gave the break to Svitolina on a forehand shot going wide. Eight points went one way with the 24-year-old drawing errors from Yastremska who was not yet up to speed. Her points streak increased to nine before Svitolina’s first error ended one-way traffic. It didn’t take anything from the fifth seed as she watched the errors continue from Yastremska who fell three games down and two double faults committed.

The 24-year-old committed her first double but soon had a second recorded giving Yastremska a break chance. An ace from Svitolina forced deuce but her young opponent showed slight improvement warming up for the challenge. A failed challenge followed by a wide return blew her best chance to get on the board and instead sat 0-4. Opportunities to serve a good game came in the fifth when Svitolina erred enough to see the 19-year-old smash a pair of winners that ended her slide.

She fought well in the sixth but came up short of a break watching Svitolina hold on a break of deuce. Linking a second hold allowed Yastremska to get comfortable with her commitment level using it to test Svitolina. Serving for the set, the 24-year-old got into trouble with the first serve forehand and the sudden range of Yastremska who fought for a breakpoint. Svitolina put down her third ace and watched a fast return go long ending the first in 31 minutes. Having a better handing of her serve than Yastremska who made 19 unforced errors, the fifth seed was comfortably in control.

She rolled it into the second set earning two break points before taking the game from the teen. Consolidating the break was a piece of cake as her opponent racked more errors on the return sending her back into a grown deficit. A fourth double fault troubled the 32^nd seed who despite playing a great 20 shot rally was once again broken apart. Svitolina carried on and held firm in the fourth as her opponent made primary mistakes that only led to getting to the finish easier for her compatriot.

.@ElinaSvitolina advances to the second week of the @usopen for a third time with a victory over compatriot Dayana Yastremska --> https://t.co/8xgdgojEAD pic.twitter.com/0y0Rmfgklh

— WTA (@WTA) August 31, 2019

A triple break for the world number five set her to serve for the match in the sixth where she handled a tricky drop shot but earned two match points to end 54 minutes with Yastremska recording her 36^th unforced error.

“It was definitely a special moment for Ukraine,” Svitolina said to Andrew Krasny after the match. “Me and Dayana are from the same city in Odessa so it was a special match for the both of us.”

While they didn’t play evening, the fifth seed had a terrific outcome with a serve percentage above 80 percent and notched just seven winners and outscored the teen 54-27 “I think I was very consistent from the baseline,” she said. “I was serving very good at the moments that I had to and in the end, I think the experience played a little bit tonight and very pleased so far with the way I’m playing and looking forward to the next match.”

  

Svitolina takes down Venus Williams in straight sets

Elina Svitolina wins a hard fight against Venus Williams at the 2019 US Open

Elina Svitolina had to work hard for the second time in the late end of her match but moved on at the US Open Wednesday. The fifth seed defended and held back Venus Williams more than a few times in the match but won 6-4, 6-4 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. It marked the third win against the tennis superstar and the second to come on the hardcourt surface.

A fourth meeting put the two in their second grand slam face-off where the leverage stood with the Ukrainian. Svitolina has a win over the tennis veteran on the hard courts giving her a shot at pulling together another one to improve her US Open record. The challenge Svitolina faced against the young American was a tough start but facing Williams gave her an opportunity to take the offense and dictate.

Svitolina began with good returns that drew errors from Williams to earn the early break. The 39-year-old tried to step up but let a few points slip away and give Svitolina the hold. She held firm to avoid going a double break down with a serve to love in the third. Going for the break, Williams tried to notch a break but errors kept her from clinching the coveted AD point. After three breaks, the 39-year-old hit another forehand long to sit two down.

She battled hard on serve in the fifth to recover but Svitolina was still on lock during her service game to contain a lead. Her strengths helped get her a double break on Williams to sit with a 5-2 stand and the tennis veteran close to sitting in a large hole. Frustrations continued to cause Williams to commit unforced errors losing her shot for the break. On a second attempt, a good rally ended with Svitolina sending a crosscourt return just long to make it 5-3.

Cutting in closer for Williams was a heavy task as she overcame the mistakes to force deuce in the ninth showing key patience. Her second double fault handed Svitolina a third set point but was canceled out with a backhand return just missing wide. The door opened for Williams after the second break where another long ball from the Ukrainian put her down a game from evening up. With the need to hold off her opponent’s comeback, Svitolina battled hard to defend her end and on her fourth set point, it came on William’s 23^rd error ending 49 minutes.

After a short break off court, Williams returned to open the second set with a strong service game. Adding a break put the former world number one on the right track making good runs for the point while increasing the difficulty on rallies for Svitolina. Overcoming a 0-40 gap in the third gave Williams a chance on deuce and get a 3-0 in the set. When it looked as if Venus had the problems off her shoulders, they returned only to leave the door wide open for Svitolina.

The errors in the fourth allowed the fifth seed to hold off a late push from Williams before breaking her with errors drawn out to consolidate. Movement from the 39-year-old also lessened on court leading to a complete comeback for Svitolina. The lead change came next with Williams committing her fourth double fault of the set and sixth total negating the start she put together.

Elina Svitolina reacts to a missed point during her second-round match against Venus Williams at the 2019 US Open 

Svitolina had a fifth game under her belt cruising through her service in the eighth to play for the match with her opponent in trouble. Committing a seventh double fault was how the ninth game began for Williams. Despite getting back the lead, the Ukrainian forced deuce and gained a match point only to be away from a perfect crosscourt return from Williams. A big mistake from the 39-year-old handed the fifth seed a second try but played long ball to get her to struggle with getting the ball over the net. The added pressure didn’t deter Svitolina who played eight breaks and 16 minutes but came up short to break Williams for the victory.

The 24-year-old was left with one chance left to get it done or see the match become harder. Drawing errors from the American was the key to her serving for the match and with a sixth attempt at getting into the third round, it was over on a long return from Williams to end the day in 1 hour and 52 minutes.

“It was a really incredible match,” Svitolina said to Pam Shriver of ESPN. “It was the best I’ve played making it really special to play Venus who pushed me to raise my level.” When asked about the turnaround Williams made winning seven of eight, the fifth seed responded about her tactics.

“I had to stay very focused and play every point to the last one and try to put one extra ball over the net,” she said. “I was expecting her to raise her level and she’s very experienced player and knows how to handle the moments like this. I was expecting a very tough and we could see in the end that a few points decided it all.” With the gratefulness of getting her match done under weather conditions, the Ukrainian would go into Friday awaiting either compatriot Dayana Yastremska or Rebecca Peterson in the third round.

Vondrousova pens massive defeat of Konta to enter French Open final

Marketa Vondrousova was on a mission to become a finalist at the French Open Friday. The 19-year-old who was in her third year of competition on the clay courts, pulled off another major victory taking down 26^th seeded Johanna Konta her sixth straight sets victory 7-5, 7-6(2) on Court Simone Mathieu on the grounds of Rolland Garros. It marked the first time the Czech had ever made it to a major final and stood tall as a high contender for a slam championship.

In what was the penultimate match of their careers was also their third meeting and second this season. Konta went the distance against the 19 year old in Rome where she ran away with the victory on Rome’s clay courts. Showing so much strength on the surface, Konta marked her second career semifinal in a major and the one she hoped would send her to Saturday’s final.

Vondrousova had never gone anywhere close to this level of competition in any of the big tournaments during the regular season. With her yet to have dropped a set, the Czech teen wanted nothing more than to keep that up as she faced the British number one. With a guarantee of a new French Open champion, it would be up to both of them to determine who from their end would enter the final match in Paris.

The teen earned first dibs at serving but was quickly broken due to back to back double faults. The British number one consolidated a serve to love to take a quick one way run of the set. Before she could get comfortable with her offense, the 28-year-old faced Vondrousova pushing back with a hold in the third. The fourth was the most highly contested as the young Czech looked to keep Konta in reach. The Brit forced deuce saving the first of five break points but couldn’t lock down an AD point.

The failure of losing ground was made up as she managed to break back Vondrousova quickly in the fifth. The set began to quicken with both handling serve that lasted three games and Konta standing with a 5-3 lead. In an effort to avoid giving away the set on serve, Vondrousova saved two set points to force deuce. The 19-year-old avoided a third before getting her own chance to lock down the game.

The Brit served for it a second time but drew errors twice to hand the Czech break point. She leveled it at five-all with her 16^th winner to send the set deep with the ball in hand. She pressured Konta to err for consecutive points before easily putting the 11^th game to rest. She kept the assault on Konta’s game running to reach a break chance for the set that ended with the Brit trying to set up for the return but instead watched the ball catch the inside of the court to end 55 minutes. Vondrousova outscored Konta by a minimal amount but had the better serve output that got her in position to gain more control.

She held serve to start the second but lost the next two with Konta converting a break in the third. The short break was all that occurred through seven games as each held firm through the next four giving up no more than one or two points to the returner. With the break in hand, Konta continued to lead but had Vondrousova at her heels looking for a shot at leveling back. Konta avoided that from happening to push the Czech to the baseline where she erred on Deuce to hand the Brit her shot at forcing the decider.

The Czech denied her that key break in the ninth and pushed her to either do it on her own or send the two nearer to a set tiebreak. Vondrousova responded well on the return side that included a great stance near the net where she gave it right back to the Brit that ultimately sent them into extra frames. The 19-year-old secured the hold in the 11^th to serve for the match just as the rain began to fall harder. Konta refused to go down in flames and started the 12^th with a well-placed lob at the net.

Pressing the issue at hand, Konta drew errors from the Czech before scoring a line drive winners that gave her a chance to force a third set with the tiebreak left to contest. Vondrousova got the first two points before Konta got on the board. When the Brit gained her second, the 19-year-old already had the lead at 3-2. Her two points would be the last the 28-year-old would win at Roland Garros as Vondrousova went on to take the next three straight for match point which she didn’t let get away ending another brilliant run that took her 1 hour and 45 minutes to do.

 “It was a very tough match today,” Vondrousova said during her on-court interview. “I’m happy that I kept my nerves at the end and I’m just so happy with everything here.” She will take on Australian powerhouse Ashleigh Barty who stopped the final from becoming an all-teen matchup with her three-set win over American Amanda Anisimova.