New York (AFP) – Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova reached the quarter-finals of the US Open on Sunday, edging Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in three sets. The Czech Noskova, who has largely flown under the radar in New York despite winning Wimbledon, beat Kostyuk 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, finally sealing the win on her sixth match point when Kostyuk netted a backhand return.
“I am more than relieved,” Noskova said after booking a last-eight showdown with two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. “This match was so tough, emotionally more so than physically.”
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After a hard-fought first set, Noskova, seeded sixth, appeared poised for a relatively straightforward win, holding two match points while serving for the second set up at 5-4. But Kostyuk, who has won two titles in 2026, slapped a forehand winner on the first and saved the second by drilling a ball at Noskova, who was at the net and couldn’t handle the volley.
Riding momentum, Kostyuk went on to take the next two games to force a third set. In the third set, the Czech scored a key break at 3-3. But with Noskova serving at 5-4, Kostyuk saved three more match points but couldn’t return a strong serve from Noskova, who fell to her knees after finally finishing the two hour and 27-minute match.
© 2024 AFP
