2016 U.S. Open Day 10 Preview: 18-Year-Old Konjuh Seeks Semifinals in Flushing Meadows

September 7, 2016 | By Eric C. Peck
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Four singles quarterfinals matches are scheduled for Wednesday, Day 10 of the 2016 U.S. Open, and after the dust settles, the final four will remain in both the men’s and women’s singles draws and the semifinals will be set.

Kicking things off at 11:00 a.m. at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the unseeded Ana Konjuh from Croatia faces the number 10 seed, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. Konjuh, who at 18 years and 258 days, is the first teenager to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Belinda Bencic did so in 2014 at 17 years and 181 days. Wednesday’s meeting will be the first ever between Konjuh and Pliskova.

Konjuh has dropped just two sets so far in Flushing, holding wins over the number four seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the Round of 16, and the 20th-seeded Kiki Bertens in the opening round. Pliskova has dropped just one set so far in her run to the quarterfinals in her Round of 16 win over the sixth-seeded Venus Williams.

Under the lights at Ashe, the top-seeded Serena Williams squares off against the fifth-seeded Simona Halep at 7:00 p.m. Serena has dominated Halep in eight career meetings, with seven victories over the Romanian. The 2016 U.S. Open represents Serena’s 65th Grand Slam main draw appearance, and at 34 years of age, she is the oldest player remaining in the draw. With six U.S. Open singles titles under her belt, Serena is tied with Chris Evert for the most in the Open Era. So far in Flushing Meadows, Serena has mowed down the competition, having yet to drop a set in her four matches leading up to the quarterfinals.

Halep enters the U.S. Open quarterfinals having posted a 24-3 record on tour dating back to the start of the French Open, her losses at the hands of Samantha Stosur at Roland Garros, and to Angelique Kerber at both Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Masters. Halep has dropped just one set so far at the U.S. Open.

“She's ambitious,” said Halep of her matchup with Serena. “She gives everything to win all the matches. She is focused and she doesn't give up.”

On the men’s side of the draw, the resurgent Juan Martin del Potro faces the number three seeded Stan Wawrinka to close out the day under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium. In six career meetings, del Potro leads Wawrinka 4-2, with del Potro taking the past four matches.

Del Potro, winner of the U.S. Open in 2009, has yet to drop a set in Flushing Meadows, and was leading the eighth-seeded Dominic Thiem 3-2 in the second set before Thiem retired due to a knee injury.

Wawrinka got off to a hot start in rounds one and two, two straight set wins over Fernando Verdasco in round one and Alessandro Giannessi in the second round. Wawrinka was tested in the third round, pushed to a five set win over Great Britain's Daniel Evans in just over four hours.

“It's going to be a good challenge to play against him,” said Wawrinka of del Potro. “I'm excited to play against him in the quarterfinals here at the U.S. Open. We have played each other already this year at Wimbledon. He beat me … so it's going to be a good match again. He's playing really well. I saw him playing against Ferrer. He's playing really strong. In the Olympics also, he was there beating the top guys.”

Also looking for a spot in the semifinals are Kei Nishikori, the number six seed, and the second-seeded Andy Murray of Great Britain when they meet Wednesday afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Murray has dominated Nishikori 7-1 in head-to-head meetings, the most recent meeting, a semifinal win by Murray at last month’s Olympic Games in Rio where Murray captured the Gold Medal in the Men’s Singles event.

Since suffering third-round losses at ATP Masters 1000 hard-court events in Indian Wells and Miami, Murray has made a strong push to finish the season as world number one. The 2012 U.S. Open champion can pass Djokovic in the Emirates ATP Race to London if he wins the U.S. Open title and Djokovic does not reach the final. Murray is 26-1 since finishing runner-up to Djokovic at the French Open and he has advanced to seven consecutive finals on tour. He has dropped just one set so far in Flushing Meadows.

“I think Kei is pretty experienced now. I don't think that will be the difference in the match,” said Murray. “I have played well against him in the past. But, you know, he likes these conditions. He plays well in New York. He's made his only Grand Slam final here. He beat Novak here. He's playing pretty well this summer. He played some good stuff at the Olympics and won the bronze. It's going to be very, very tough.”

Click here to view the full schedule of play for Day 10 of the 2016 U.S. Open.


Eric C. Peck
Editor-in-Chief, Long Island Tennis Magazine

Eric C. Peck is Editor-in-Chief of Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by e-mail at eric@litennismag.com

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