Day 3 at the US Open: Krejcikova fights for round three, Serena Williams takes on world number two Kontaveit

• Czechs in action •
Barbora Krejčíková (23.) – Aleksandra Kruničová (96.) | Court 11 (22:30 SELČ)
Barbora Krejčíková she also won her second start in the main competition of the US Open and came close to defending last year’s quarter-finals. His next opponent will be a former eight finalist Aleksandra Kruničová. Meet the Serbian woman after more than five years and can confront her mutual balance.

In January, Krejčíková continued his sensational season last year when he reached the final in Sydney and the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. However, due to an elbow injury, she didn’t play for three months and completely lost her form. After a medical break, she only made it to the quarterfinals once and only achieved two straight wins. His preparation for the US Open was unsuccessful. In Prague she finished in the second round and did not defend last year’s triumph, in Toronto and Cincinnati she crashed into her first opponent and in the battle for the quarter-finals in Cleveland she played only five games against the hot Bernarda Pera . At the US Open, she started with a comfortable win over qualifier Fernando Contreras Gómez.

Kruničová is in the top 100 of the ranking mainly thanks to the final on clay in Budapest in July. On the top circuit, she has made it through the opening round only five times this year and recorded her only streak of consecutive victories in major competitions in the Hungarian capital. She came to New York with a negative 19-20 record this season and a three-game losing streak. In the first round you faced the qualified Elina Avanesjanová.

Krejčíková did not play convincingly in the opening match, but the current form should be sufficient for the struggling Kruničová. Her opponent last beat a Top 100 Grand Slam player three years ago in Paris, and this year she is 3-8 on outdoor hard courts.

Winner’s tip: Barbora Krejčíková

Barbora Krejčíková – This season
Best results: Sydney (D)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: Sydney (D)
Equilibrium: 16-13
Balance of the last 10 matches: 5-5
Balance on outdoor concrete: 12-8
Record against top 50-100 players: 8-5 (career 37-17)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (ČF), French Open (1K), Wimbledon (3K)

Barbora Krejčíková – US Open
Career Record: 5-1
Best result: quarter-finals (2021)
Last year result: quarter finals
General test: Toronto (1K), Cincinnati (1K), Cleveland (2K)
Tournament Trip: Contreras Gomez (6-0 6-4)

Aleksandra Kruničová – This season
Best results: Budapest (F)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: US Open (2K)
Equilibrium: 20-20
Balance of the last 10 matches: 6-4
Balance on outdoor concrete: 3-8
Record against top 30 players: 0-1 (career 11-31)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (Q), French Open (2K), Wimbledon (1K)

Aleksandra Kruničová – US Open
Career Record: 8-7
Best result: Round of 16 (2014)
Last year result: she didn’t play
General test: Cincinnati (Q), Cleveland (1K)
Tournament Trip: Avanesyan (6-4 6-4)

• The journey to defend the title •
Daniel Medvedev (1st) – Arthur Rinderknech (58.) | Arthur Ashe Stadium (Thursday 2:30 CEST)
Daniel Medvedevwho could lose his place as world number one after the end of the US Open, will continue to defend his only Grand Slam triumph with a premier duel with Arthurem Rinderknechem. The Frenchman is on hand to improve his Grand Slam record.

Medvedev took a clear lead against Rafael Nadal in the January Australian Open final and has been fighting ever since. He probably didn’t imagine he would make it to this year’s US Open after just one triumph this year, which he also celebrated in the lowest category event. Despite starting preparation for the US Open with the aforementioned first place in Los Cabos, he greeted in Montreal right after the match with hot Nick Kyrgios and did not make a convincing impression at the upcoming Cincinnati Masters, losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in semifinal. In New York, at the start, he faced Stefan Kozlov from home without losing a set.

Rinderknech followed the best year of his career early in the season. He played his first top flight final in January and his second semi-final at this level a month later. Also due to health problems, he achieved further success in the challengers, in June he triumphed in Poznań and less than two weeks ago he reached the final in Vancouver. At the US Open he won the derby with Quentin Halys and after almost three months he made it to the first round on the main tour.

Medvedev is expected to face a tougher match than in the first round, but he should also be able to handle Rinderknech without major problems. His opponent played two games against the top 10 players and did not lose a set to either Jannik Sinner or Hubert Hurkacz.

Winner’s tip: Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev – This season
Best results: Los Cabos (T); Halle, Hertogenbosch, Australian Open (D); Cincinnati, Acapulco (SF)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: Los Cabos (T); Australian Open (D); Cincinnati, Acapulko (SF)
Equilibrium: 35-12
Balance of the last 10 matches: 8-2
Balance on outdoor concrete: 24-7
Record against top 50-100 players: 9-1 (career 82-23)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (F), French Open (OF), Wimbledon (-)

Daniil Medvedev – US Open
Career Record: 21-4
Best result: triumph (2021)
Last year result: triumph
General test: Los Cabos (T), Montreal (2K), Cincinnati (SF)
Tournament Trip: Kozlov (6-2 6-4 6-0)

Arthur Rinderknech – This season
Best results: Adelaide 2 (D); Doha (SF)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: Adelaide 2 (D); Doha (SF)
Equilibrium: 26-17
Balance of the last 10 matches: 7-3
Balance on outdoor concrete: 18-10
Record against top 10 players: 0-2 (career 0-2)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (2K), French Open (1K), Wimbledon (1K)

Arthur Rinderknech – US Open
Career Record: 2-1
Best result: Round 2 (2021-22)
Last year result: 2nd round
General test: Montreal (1K), challenger Vancouver (D)
Tournament Trip: Net (4-6 7-6 6-3 6-2)

• Hit of the day •
Serena Williams (605th) – Anett Kontaveit (2nd) | Arthur Ashe Stadium (Thursday 1:00 CEST)
Serena Williams announced that he would soon end his highly successful career. It is speculated that it could be after the US Open, where he has triumphed six times in the past and collected over 100 wins. He can extend his stay in New York against the world number two Anett Kontaveitove. He will face Estonian for the first time, who have reached at least the third round in his last three starts here, but this year his high point in the majors is the second round.

Williams played her first single game in exactly one year at Wimbledon after a hamstring injury. Before traveling to New York, she only played four games in total and only scored one victory, beating Nuria Párrizas in Toronto. At the last event in Cincinnati, she took reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu to the first round, she captured the canary and played only four games. She showed a much better performance in Flushing Meadows, initially she had to deal with Danka Koviničová.

Kontaveitova has been in the final seven times from last August to March and has won five titles. However, after contracting Covid-19 in April, she has completely lost her shape and is struggling. In the past six months she has only played three quarter-finals and left seven tournaments with up to one win. Also, she doesn’t do well in the Grand Slams, her high this year is round two. In the first round of the US Open, she overwhelmed Jaqueline Cristiano, who played her first game in more than six months.

In the opening round, Williams performed arguably the best performance after a year’s hiatus, she moved much better and it was clear to her that she didn’t want to say goodbye to the home Grand Slam in the opening rounds. She could then take advantage of Kontaveitova’s woes, which is not the same threat after Covid-19 infection in April, and claim her first Top 10 scalp since last year’s Australian Open. Much will depend on the physical demands of this duel, the second suit is favored in better conditions.

Winner’s tip: Anett Kontaveitová

Serena Williams – This season
Best results: Toronto (2K)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: Toronto (2K)
Equilibrium: 2-3
Balance of the last 10 matches: he hasn’t played for a year
Balance on outdoor concrete: 2-2
Record against top 10 players: 0-0 (career 177-72)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (-), French Open (-), Wimbledon (1K)

Serena Williams – US Open
Career Record: 107-14
Best result: triumph (1999, 2002, 2008, 2012-14)
Last year result: she didn’t play
General test: Toronto (2K), Cincinnati (1K)
Tournament Trip: Koviničová (6-3 6-3)

Anett Kontaveitová – This season
Best results: St. Petersburg (T); Hamburg, Doha (F); Sydney (SF)
Biggest hits on outdoor concrete: Doha (F); Sydney (SF)
Equilibrium: 25-13
Balance of the last 10 matches: 6-4
Balance on outdoor concrete: 13-8
Record against players outside the Top 100: 4-0 (career 185-67)
Grandslamy: Australian Open (2K), French Open (1K), Wimbledon (2K)

Anett Kontaveitova – US Open
Career Record: 11-6
Best result: Round of 16 (2015, 2020)
Last year result: 3rd lap
General test: Toronto (2K), Cincinnati (OF)
Tournament Trip: Christian (6-3 6-0)

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