US Open 2025: Vondrousova Upsets Seventh Seed Paolini; Pegula Seals Hard-Fought Win Over Azarenka

Marketa Vondrousova booked her place in the last 16 of the US Open after shocking seventh seed Jasmine Paolini in straight sets on Friday. 

Vondrousova edged a first-set tie-break before surging to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 win, setting up a fourth-round clash with Elena Rybakina, who beat Emma Raducanu earlier in the day. 

The pair traded blows in the opening set, with Vondrousova forced to save two break points in her first two service games before eventually finding her groove. 

With nothing to split Paolini and Vondrousova, the latter converted her third set point to take the early advantage, and the world number 60 built on her momentum from there.

The second set was defined by the sixth game, when Vondrousova and Paolini got into a terrific, back-and-forth contest, but the Italian proved no match for her opponent. 

Vondrousova finally converted her sixth break point when a Paolini backhand stab sailed long, before she sealed her progression on serve. 

"It was a very important game," Vondrousova said of the sixth game in the second set. "Big difference between 4-2 and 5-1. It was a crazy game - and the key to the match."

Elsewhere, Jessica Pegula was forced to dig deep to keep alive her hopes of a career-first grand slam title on home soil after battling past Victoria Azarenka. 

In a 6-1 7-5 victory, 2024 finalist Pegula cruised through the first set before former world number one Azarenka fought back valiantly despite struggling with a leg injury.

Pegula, who suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's Flushing Meadows showpiece, will face either compatriot Ann Li or Priscilla Hon in the next round. 

"I just tried to focus on going back to my strategy, things that went well in the first set," said Pegula when asked how she addressed her second-set slide.

"I thought I moved and scrambled really well. I wanted to make the match physical.

"My results haven't been too amazing the last couple of months, so to be able to turn it around was awesome."

Data Debrief: Vondrousova ends grand slam wait

Vondrousova ranking suggests that her win over Paolini was an upset, but it was anything but that. She maintained her perfect record against the seventh seed, while her triumph was also her 15th career victory over a player inside the top 10.

Her win also saw her reach the last 16 of a grand slam tournament for the first time since Roland-Garros last year, though she faces a tough test against Rybakina next. 

Pegula, meanwhile, became the oldest player to reach the last 16 in four consecutive editions of the women's singles at the US Open since Serena Williams between 2011-2016.