US Open: The Iga Swiatek bakery serves another fresh bagel as last eight settled

James Richardson 06 Sep 2022 11:24 AM

The Iga Swiatek bakery was open for business on Monday at the US Open.

Swiatek handed out her 19th bagel of the 2022 season on her way to downing Jule Niemier in three sets.

The World No 1 led the way as the US Open women’s singles last eight was settled on Monday.

“I saw on Twitter some say that is called like ‘Iga Swiatek Bakery’. That’s pretty funny,” Swiatek remarked in the wake of another milestone.

Jessica Pegula was the only woman to win in straight sets in the four matches on Monday.

Pegula looks set to protect her status as US No 1 as she lived up to her eighth seeding but for her troubles she has been handed a last eight match with Swiatek.

The American has dropped just one set on four matches on her way to the quarter-finals but faces an opponent who has also dropped just one frame.

Former World No 1 Karolina Pliskova overcame fellow erstwhile rankings queen Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 to reach her tenth Grand Slam quarter-final.

Pliskova and Azarenka had both reached the championship match at Flushing Meadows but the Czech’s lethal serve gave her an edge in the battle of WTA Tour veterans.

Unsurprisingly Pliskova leads the quarterfinalists in aces with 35 sent down in her four matches so far.

Pliskova is set to face another Belarussian in the last eight after Aryna Sabalenka came back from a set down two win 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in her Round of 16 clash with Danielle Collins.

Sabalenka was on the brink of a tournament exit in the second round when she twice had to save a match point against Kaia Kanepi.

Collins was happy to trade bombs with Sabalenka and looked to be on top for the first half of the match.

However, it was Sabalenka who proved to have the staying power as he turned the tide despite being faced with a partisan crowd.

Collins’ exit leaves Coco Gauff and Pegula to carry American hopes of a home win in the women’s singles.

On Sunday Gauff booked her quarter-final date with Cincinnati Masters champion Caroline Garcia in what promises to be a blockbuster last eight collision.

Carlos Alcaraz ensures a new US Open champion will be crowned Sunday

The women’s draw has thrown up a solid set of quarter-finals with all eight players standing a good chance of lifting the trophy.

Australia and the United States are the nations that retain hopes of a double win as Ajla Tomljanovic and Nick Kyrgios have gained the last eight while Gauff and Pegula saw compatriot Frances Tiafoe shock Rafael Nadal.

While Tomljanovic and Kyrgios try to repeat a feat that would roll back the years for Australia, Ons Jabeur will be out to break new ground for African women when she faces the Aussie in the last eight.