US Open: Paolini joins Gauff as the only women to reach the fourth round at every Slam in 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Jasmine Paolini joined Coco Gauff as the only women to reach at least the fourth round at every Grand Slam tournament in 2024, getting that far at the U.S. Open for the first time with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 30 seed Yulia Putintseva on Saturday.

The fifth-seeded Paolini, a 28-year-old from Italy, had never made it past the second round in 16 appearances at majors entering this season. But she reached the fourth round at the Australian Open in January, before being the runner-up at both the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July.

Now she is once again into Week 2. Paolini compiled 13 of her 22 winners off the forehand side against Putintseva at Louis Armstrong Stadium and will meet 2023 French Open finalist Karolina Muchova on Monday for a berth in the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows.

Also reaching the fourth round with a win Saturday was No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the United States. She overwhelmed Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain 6-3, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bouzas Maneiro grabbed attention at Wimbledon by eliminating defending champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round.

Against Pegula, Bouzas Maneiro had 29 unforced errors and only five winners.

In the first men’s match Saturday, Tomas Machac won 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 against David Goffin and moved into the fourth round at a major for the first time.

Gauff, the defending champion in New York, advanced to the fourth round by defeating the 27th-seeded Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday. That follows semifinals at the Australian Open and French Open, and a fourth-round showing at Wimbledon.

Muchova is back in the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since having surgery on her right wrist, doing so by beating Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-2.

Muchova made it to the semifinals at Flushing Meadows before losing to Gauff. But Muchova didn’t play again last season and had a wrist operation in October, returning to the tour this June.

“I’m trying every day to put some work in and get back to where I was — maybe even better,” Muchova said.

She defeated four-time Slam champion and former No. 1 Naomi Osaka on Thursday and has won all three of her matches this week in straight sets.

“To save some energy is always nice. ... Couldn’t be better so far,” said Muchova, who has been ranked as high as No. 8 and is currently No. 52. “Last year was amazing. I’m trying to follow up.”

Against the 38th-ranked Potapova on the Grandstand, Muchova displayed the same varied game that worked so well against Osaka.

There were eight aces. There were 24 winners and just 11 unforced errors. She saved both break points she faced.

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis