When Iga Swiatek, the No. 1 women\u2019s player in the world, took the first set against Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday night, it seemed like business as usual.<\/p>\n
Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion at 22, after all, was the reigning U.S. Open champion, and going into her match against Ostapenko, she had not dropped a set at this tournament.<\/p>\n
But while Swiatek is often able to cruise through matches, Ostapenko has been a bit of a thorn in her side. Ostapenko has been undefeated against Swiatek, and extended that to four wins with a victory on Sunday night, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.<\/p>\n
In the second set, the match shifted. Ostapenko began to take control. When Ostapenko evened things up at a set apiece, Swiatek seemed to be out of her comfort zone.<\/p>\n
As she struggled, Swiatek looked up at her box, appearing to ask for some sort of advice to contend with Ostapenko\u2019s surge. Her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, didn\u2019t seem to have an answer for her, and Swiatek sarcastically clapped toward her box, as if to convey thank you for nothing.<\/p>\n
Throughout the third set, Ostapenko was unrelenting. \u201cI had to be aggressive because that\u2019s what she doesn\u2019t really like,\u201d Ostapenko said in an on-court interview after the match. \u201cI was just fighting until the very last point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ostapenko will now face Coco Gauff, the American seeded No. 6, in a quarterfinal on Tuesday. Gauff also recently figured out how to defeat Swiatek after beating her in the semifinals of the Western and Southern Open in Ohio last month.<\/p>\n
Ostapenko and Gauff have faced each other twice, most recently at the Australian Open, where Ostapenko defeated Gauff in straight sets in the round of 16. Gauff won their previous match in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a tough match,\u201d Ostapenko said about her Australian Open match against Gauff earlier this year. \u201cOf course, it\u2019s going be another tough match. I don\u2019t expect any easy matches here in a Grand Slam, so I\u2019m ready for another battle.\u201d<\/p>\n
But now, without Swiatek in the way, the U.S. Open women\u2019s singles draw opens up much more widely. Suddenly, the path to the final has become easier for Ostapenko, Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka.<\/p>\n
Gauff is ready for Ostapenko, whom she described on Sunday as a hard hitter ahead of Ostapenko\u2019s victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Jelena, she\u2019s a striker, ball-striker. I lost to her in Australian Open this year. She\u2019s hot or cold, to be honest,\u201d Gauff said.<\/p>\n
The winner of Ostapenko and Gauff will take on the winner of a quarterfinal match between Sorana Cirstea and Karolina Muchova in the semifinals. Cirstea, of Romania, reached the quarterfinals after upsetting Belinda Bencic, the 15th seed, on Sunday. Muchova, a finalist at this year\u2019s French Open, made it to the quarterfinals having only dropped one set in four matches.<\/p>\n
For now, Ostapenko is focused on Gauff, whom she expects to pose a difficult challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will try to focus on myself and enjoy it,\u201d Ostapenko said. \u201cIt\u2019s great to be in quarterfinals, especially here in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n