Day 3 at the US Open: Krejcikova fights for third round, Serena Williams challenges world number two Kontaveit

• Czechs in action •
Barbora Krejčíková (23.) – Aleksandra Kruničová (96.) | Court 11 (22:30 SELČ)
Barbora Krejčíková also started her second start in the main competition of the US Open with victory and came a little closer to defending last year’s quarterfinals. Her next opponent will be former eight-finalist Aleksandra Kruničová. He meets the Serbian woman after more than five years and can compare the mutual balance with her.

In January, Krejčíková continued her sensational season last year, when she reached the finals in Sydney and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. However, due to an elbow injury, she did not play for three months and completely lost her form. After a medical break, she was in the quarterfinals only once and reached only two winning streaks. Her preparation for the US Open was absolutely unsuccessful. In Prague, she finished in the second round and did not defend last year’s triumph, in Toronto and Cincinnati, she crashed against her first opponent, and in the battle for the quarterfinals 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 clay final in Budapest in July. On the top circuit, she only made it past the opening round five times this year, and she recorded her only winning streak in major competitions in the Hungarian capital. She arrived in New York with a negative record of 19-20 this season and a streak of three defeats. In the first round, she dealt with qualifier Elina Avanesjanová.

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

Tip for the winner: Barbora Krejčíková

Barbora Krejčíková – This season
Best results: Sydney (F)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: Sydney (F)
Balance: 16-13
Balance from 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 final (2021)
Last year’s result: quarter finals
Dress rehearsal: Toronto (1K), Cincinnati (1K), Cleveland (2K)
Journey through the tournament: Contreras Gómez (6-0 6-4)

Aleksandra Kruničová – This season
Best results: Budapest (F)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: US Open (2K)
Balance: 20-20
Balance from 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’s result: she didn’t play
Dress rehearsal: Cincinnati (Q), Cleveland (1K)
Journey through the tournament: Avanesyan (6-4 6-4)

• The journey to defending the title •
Daniil Medvedev (1st) – Arthur Rinderknech (58.) | Arthur Ashe Stadium (Thursday 2:30 CEST)
Daniil Medvedev, who may lose the post of world number one after the end of the US Open, will continue to defend his only Grand Slam triumph with a premier duel with Arthur Rinderknech. The Frenchman is within reach of improving his Grand Slam record.

Medvedev blew a clear lead against Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final in January and has struggled ever since. He probably did not imagine that he would come to this year’s US Open after only one triumph this year, which he also celebrated at the event of the lowest category. Although he started the preparation for the US Open with the aforementioned first place in Los Cabos, he said goodbye in Montreal immediately after the match with the hot Nick Kyrgios and did not make a convincing impression at the next Masters event in Cincinnati, losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-finals. In New York, at the start, he dealt with Stefan Kozlov from home without losing a set.

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

Medvedev is likely to face a tougher match than in the first round, but he should also be able to handle Rinderknech without any major problems. His opponent has played two matches against Top 10 players and has not lost a set with either Jannik Sinner or Hubert Hurkacz.

Tip for the winner: Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev – This season
Best results: Los Cabos (T); Halle, Hertogenbosch, Australian Open (F); Cincinnati, Acapulko (SF)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: Los Cabos (T);  Australian Open (F);  Cincinnati,  Acapulko (SF)
Balance: 35-12
Balance from 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’s result: triumph
Dress rehearsal: Los Cabos (T), Montréal (2K), Cincinnati (SF)
Journey through the tournament: Kozlov (6-2 6-4 6-0)

Arthur Rinderknech – This season
Best results: Adelaide 2 (F); Doha (SF)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: Adelaide 2 (F); Doha (SF)
Balance: 26-17
Balance from 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’s result: 2nd round
Dress rehearsal: Montréal (1K), Vancouver challenger (F)
Journey through the tournament: Net (4-6 7-6 6-3 6-2)

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

Williams played her first singles match in exactly one year at Wimbledon after a hamstring injury. Before traveling to New York, she played only four matches in total and achieved only one victory, defeating Nuria Párrizas in Toronto. At the last event in Cincinnati, she took the reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu into the first round, caught the canary and played just four games. She showed a much better performance in Flushing Meadows, initially she dealt with Danka Koviničová.

Kontaveitova was in the finals a total of seven times from last August to this March and won five titles. However, after contracting Covid-19 in April, she completely lost her form and is struggling. In the last six months, she played only three quarterfinals and left seven tournaments with a maximum of one win. In addition, she does not do well at grand slams, her highest this year is the second round. In the first round of the US Open, she swept Jaqueline Cristiano, who played her first match in more than six months.

In the opening round, Williams performed probably the best performance after a one-year break, she moved much better and it was clear from her that she did not want to say goodbye to the home Grand Slam in the opening rounds. She could thus take advantage of Kontaveitova’s woes, which is not the same threat after the April Covid-19 infection, and claim her first Top 10 scalp since last year’s Australian Open. A lot will depend on the physical demands of this duel, the second seed is favored in better condition.

Tip for the winner: Anett Kontaveitová

Serena Williams – This season
Best results: Toronto (2K)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: Toronto (2K)
Balance: 2-3
Balance from the last 10 matches: she didn’t play 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’s result: she didn’t play
Dress rehearsal: Toronto (2K), Cincinnati (1K)
Journey through the tournament: Koviničová (6-3 6-3)

Anett Kontaveitová – This season
Best results: St. Petersburg (T); Hamburg, Doha (F); Sydney (SF)
The greatest achievements on outdoor concrete: Doha (F); Sydney (SF)
Balance: 25-13
Balance from 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’s result: 3rd round
Dress rehearsal: Toronto (2K), Cincinnati (OF)
Journey through the tournament: Cristiano (6-3 6-0)