Karolína Muchová fought through one of the toughest matches of the US Open so far, outlasting Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6–3, 6–7(0), 6–3 in a battle that lasted just under three hours.
The win carried the Czech into her third straight quarterfinal in New York and reinforced her reputation as one of the tour’s grittiest competitors.
Grit and Precision in a Three-Set Battle
Muchová started with intent, racing to a 3–0 lead in the opening set. She converted two of three break-point chances while Kostyuk faltered under pressure.
She closed the set 6–3 behind smart serving and clever baseline changes, mixing pace and angles to keep her opponent guessing.
Kostyuk responded in the second set, breaking for 3–1 and eventually forcing a tiebreak. She played flawlessly in the breaker, winning it 7–0, and leveled the match as Muchová struggled to adjust.
The deciding set brought out Muchová’s resilience. She broke early, held her nerve in long service games, and saved nine of the ten break points she faced.
Kostyuk continued to apply pressure but faded in the crucial moments, allowing Muchová to seal the contest 6–3 with steady play.
The final stat sheet told the story: Muchová hit just one ace but committed only two double faults. Kostyuk, by contrast, served six aces but also made seven double faults.
Kostyuk won 81% of her first-serve points but only 51% behind her second. Muchová managed a stronger balance with 68% and 52% respectively.
Emotional Strength and What Comes Next
Afterwards, Muchová admitted the match demanded everything she had.
“It was a real fight,” she said. “Marta was playing aggressive and I had to stay patient, trust my serve, and make her play one more ball. Saving break points gave me confidence.”
Kostyuk, despite the loss, praised her opponent.
“Karolína is so tough to play against. She doesn’t give you rhythm, and even when you think you’re on top, she finds a way to turn it around.”
The win carried extra weight for Muchová, who earlier in the tournament was shaken by the unexpected presence of her ex-boyfriend in the crowd during a second-round match.
The incident left her in tears and briefly halted play, but she steadied herself to win that match and has since used the experience as fuel.
“It wasn’t easy,” she said of the distraction. “But I reminded myself why I’m here, and I feel stronger now.”
Now into the last eight, Muchová prepares to face Naomi Osaka — a resurgent four-time Grand Slam champion.
Their last meeting in New York ended in a three-set thriller. With both players rediscovering top form, their upcoming clash promises to be one of the highlights of the tournament.
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