At the US Open, Barbora Krejcikova pulled off a remarkable comeback against American Taylor Townsend, winning 1-6, 7-6(15-13), 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals. The match was filled with drama, as Krejcikova saved eight match points, the most in a women's singles win in Slams over the last three seasons. Krejcikova described her victory as "very brave and a little lucky".
The match, which lasted over three hours, was a rollercoaster, particularly the second set tiebreak that stretched for 25 minutes. The packed Louis Armstrong Stadium was on the edge of their seats as the tiebreak featured seven match points and four set points. According to Krejcikova, she was simply trying to be brave and got lucky at certain points during those rallies. Several players, including world No. 4 Taylor Fritz, paused their preparations to watch the match.
Townsend started strong, breaking Krejcikova twice early in the first set with sharp returns. Krejcikova's errors further contributed to Townsend's momentum, allowing her to close out the set quickly. In the second set, Townsend broke early, appearing ready to take control, but a double fault allowed Krejcikova to break back. The two players then traded holds, leading to the intense tiebreak. Townsend had a triple match point at 6-3, but Krejcikova fought back, saving each one. Townsend then had another chance to win, but Krejcikova's forehand clipped the line. Krejcikova eventually converted her fourth set point with an overhead smash, winning the tiebreak 15-13.
Krejcikova's resilience was on full display as she faced each match point with fearless tennis. Despite the pressure, the two-time singles Grand Slam champion unleashed some of her most audacious shots.
After the match, Townsend shared that her 4-year-old son, Adyn Aubrey Johnson, watched the entire three-hour match and cheered her on. Townsend said her son told her "Good job, Mom" and assured her that it was okay after she lost, which improved her mood. She added that her son wanted to work out together after the match.
Krejcikova's victory marks her sixth major quarter-final appearance. She will face No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula in the quarter-finals. Pegula credited a recent escape room outing with friends for her strong performance at the US Open.
