When Karolína Muchová is healthy…
That’s the start of a sentence tennis fans have uttered multiple times throughout the 28-year-old Czech’s career.
Muchová has gone deep before in grand slam events, but she’s also been halted before by injuries. Now, in New York at the US Open and unseeded, she’s once again reminding the world what kind of player she is when at full fitness: dangerous – and a threat to go deep into the fortnight.
Muchová, with a game she says was partially inspired by Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, has reached the fourth round after a 6-4, 6-2 win against Russian Anastasia Potapova on Saturday.
“It’s easy for me to be motivated,” Muchová, currently ranked No. 52, told reporters. “And to playing on these big events, it’s just why I play tennis and what I play for.”
Muchová’s next opponent is just one of two women’s players to make the second week of every grand slam this year: That would be Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-4 Saturday. (The other woman to reach the second week in every major this year is defending US Open champion Coco Gauff, who is on the opposite half of the draw.)
Muchová was a semifinalist at the 2023 US Open, losing to Gauff and rising to a career-high No. 8 in the world at the time. She also was a finalist at the 2023 French Open, a semifinalist at the 2021 Australian Open, and a two-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon (2019 and 2021).
But after her run to the semifinals at the US Open a year ago, she shut things down and underwent wrist surgery, not returning until late June at Eastbourne. She’s also previously had back, abdominal and ankle injuries.
“Going far, well, at the start of the tournament? Zero thoughts about that, honestly,” Muchová said. “I didn’t know what to expect from myself.
“I mean, I didn’t play much this year, so I was just trying to be focused on the first match. That’s usually the trickiest one. Really, really grateful and happy that I made it now to the fourth round.
“I feel better each match actually, so it’s nice to get some matches under belt. I’m, again, happy that I will have a chance to play another match here.”
Muchová has demonstrated some fantastic serve-and-volley tennis in New York, including in her straight sets win in the second round against four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka. Her behind-the-back lob during her first-round win against Katie Volynets is in the running for the shot of the tournament – maybe even shot of the year.
Meanwhile, Paolini’s breakthrough year just keeps getting better.
Before 2024, the 28-year-old Italian had never made it past the second round of any grand slam tournament. It’s a completely different story now.
Paolini, ranked a career-high No. 5 with her recent success, has the most grand slam singles match wins by a woman in 2024 with 18, and reached back-to-back grand slam finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. She also won the gold medal in women’s doubles at the Paris Olympics with her compatriot Sara Errani.
“This year has been amazing. … Now I made second week in every slam,” Paolini said to reporters.
“It’s something that’s crazy if they told me at the beginning of the year before the Australian Open, that I don’t know what I was thinking.
“It’s a really good moment for me. I hope to, as I say, always to keep this level as much as possible. I’m really having fun playing at this level. I really enjoy (it).
“This is I think what I was dreaming of to play at this level with this consistency in these kind of tournaments, stadiums with a lot of people. It’s really nice to be in this position.”
Muchová leads the career head-to-head against Paolini 3-0, but they haven’t played each other since 2021. Both players showed their respect for each other on Saturday.
“You can see that she really improved a lot. … Roland Garros, I was following actually, and I’m a fan of hers,” Muchová said of Paolini.
“She did an incredible job and playing finals on clay and then grass in Wimbledon. It’s just pretty inspiring. Yeah, she’s (a) very nice girl. So, yeah, I was supporting (her).”
Said Paolini of Muchová: “I’m a fan of her. She’s playing unbelievable. I really love how she plays. She can play every shot, slice, volleys, serve and volleys. She’s a very complete player, I think, a very tough opponent.
“I hope we can play a really, really good match.”
Their fourth-round match will take place Monday.
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