US Open 2024 live updates: Day 8 latest as Muchova shocks Paolini with Swiatek, Sinner, Paul to come (2024)

• Jessica Pegula (6) blitzes Diana Shnaider (17) to make quarters
• Karolina Muchova shocks Jasmine Paolini (5) to also reach last eight
• Top seeds Jannik Sinner vs. Tommy Paul (14) and Iga Swiatek headline a busy day of fourth-round action
• Jack Draper (25) leads Tomas Machac on Louis Armstrong

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Borges 0-3* Medvedev (5)

Next up on Arthur Ashe is the men’s fifth seed, Daniil Medvedev, bidding to go one better than his runner-up spot at last year’s U.S. Open.

He’s taking on Portugal’s Nuno Borges, and Medvedev has made a healthy start too by winning all three games so far — two of them breaks in serve.

Draper (25) 6-3 6-1 3-1* Machac

This could not be going any better for Britain’s Jack Draper, who is crushing Tomas Machac before the eyes of every watching on Louis Armstrong.

Having won the first set and then up a break early in the second, Draper demolished Machac 6-1 in the second before winning the first two games of the third.

Two sets and a break up, Machac already looks beaten — although he has won from two sets down before, so you never know. There are a few more promising signs from the Czech in recent points, at least.

It would be lovely to think that it will be seventh time lucky in making a Grand Slam semifinal for Jessica Pegula, and it may well be.

However, the big issue could be her opponent in the quarterfinals.

Pegula will learn who it will be later today, from Liudmila Samsonova (16) taking on world No. 1, French Open champion and U.S. Open top seed, Iga Swiatek.

We’ve had shocks before at this major. Another one here could well do Pegula a favor — and yes, we will bring you all the coverage of that one later today.

Schnaider (18) 4-6 2-6 Pegula (6)

Job done for Jessica Pegula, and with ease too. The sixth seed never looked back after that early break in the second set, winning six of the last seven games to dismiss Diana Schnaider with encouraging authority.

The U.S. star has been here before. This is her seventh major quarterfinal.

Let’s see if this time, it finally leads to a semi spot.

Draper (25) 6-3 *2-0 Machac

The action is back on Louis Armstrong too, and it’s a fast start from the only remaining Brit in the singles draws.

Jack Draper’s first serve was a little wobbly but he took two of his four break points — and didn’t concede any — to win four games from 3-3 and take the opening set away from Tomas Machac.

Now into the second set, Machac is looking a little lost and with a second break point, Draper makes it six games on the spin and now leads by a break in the second.

Schnaider (18) 4-6 1-2* Pegula (6)

No real dramas at the end of the opening set for Jessica Pegula on Arthur Ashe, although the sixth seed does have to work for it.

Diana Schnaider has a break point that Pegula saves before another follows after deuce. This time it’s Schnaider with the forced forehand error and from there, Pegula tucks away the opening set.

Even better follows in the third game of the second set, where after eight visits to deuce and on a fourth break point, Schnaider double faults to put Pegula a set and a break up.

The two early doubles matches are now settled. Here’s how they went...

Dodig/Pavlasek (14) 5-7 6-7(4) Arevalo/Pavic (4)

• The margins really were pretty fine on Grandstand, but the men’s doubles fourth seeds still took their third-round tie in straight sets. After a narrow first, Dodig/Pavlasek found a break in the second and were serving to level the match at 5-4 — only to be broken back after three double faults in the game. They went onto lose the tiebreak and the match.

Chan/Kudermetova (10) 6-4 6-4 Dart/Parry

• On Court 5, the women’s doubles 10th seeds also won in straight sets. An early exchange of breaks set up a tight second, before Chan/Kudermetova won the final three games to sew up victory.

Schnaider (18) 4-5* Pegula (6)

The U.S. hopes for week two start here, on Arthur Ashe, with sixth seed Jessica Pegula. And it was going pretty well too. Pegula got a couple of breaks up, converting three of five break points to lead 5-2 and serve for the opening set.

However both Pegula and Diana Schnaider are struggling on their first serve, and Schnaider found a way to break back for a second time before going onto hold the 10th.

So it’s now Pegula serving for the second time to take the opening set.

Karolina Muchova already had shot of the tournament sewn up when she produced an early contender for the best performance of the U.S. Open so far.

That was Muchova’s straight sets win over Naomi Osaka on Thursday night — a masterclass of variety and shotmaking.

Then today, Muchova took on the women’s story of the tennis year in Jasmine Paolini and got it done in straight sets again to reach the U.S. Open last eight.

The return of Muchova in itself is a huge win for women’s tennis. Especially if she can stay fit.

Our correspondent Charlie Eccleshare breaks down why, in the link below.

What a great win that is for Karolina Muchova, who came into this major as the world No. 52 — but that owes much more to her injury-affected season.

Last year, Muchova was a Roland Garros finalist and reached the last four here in New York.

The Czech will now face the winner between Caroline Wozniacki and Beatriz Hadad Maia (22) in the last eight. That pair plays later today on Louis Armstrong.

Muchova 6-3 6-3 Paolini (5)

The alarm bells ring loudly for the French Open and Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini (5) on Louis Armstrong, as Karolina Muchova takes her first-set advantage and needs only one break point in the eighth game of the second to move in on victory.

The Czech doesn’t relent from there, powering through her remaining service games and then breaking Paolini again to take the first of two match points.

From a season-dismantling wrist injury to the quarters of the U.S. Open — it’s proving a great end to the year for Muchova.

As for Paolini, a great year ends with a tired defeat.

Let’s bring you the latest scores from across Flushing Meadows, where two third-round doubles matches are currently playing out in the early action.

Dodig/Pavlasek (14) 5-7 *1-2 Arevalo/Pavic (4)

• The Grandstand crowd have got good value from this men’s doubles third round so far, as the fourth seeds nabbed a tight opening set. It all went with serve until the brink of a tiebreak, where only the third break point of the set went the way of Arevalo and Pavic.

Chan/Kudermetova (10) 6-4 0-0* Dart/Parry

• On Court 5, the women’s doubles 10th seeds have finally taken the first set — although it could have been taken sooner, with Chan/Kudermetova having led by two breaks and 5-1 at one point. They lost an epic ninth game when serving for the opening set of their third-round tie, but then served out to love two games later to get the job done.

Muchova 6-3 1-1* Paolini (5)

There it is. Having got her second break of the first set and finally hit the front, Muchova makes light work of her service hold to take the first of two set points.

Paolini’s level here isn’t quite what we would expect from the Italian so far and as a result, this match hasn’t quite caught light yet.

If Paolini can’t address that fact soon, the match could run away from here.

We’re on save in the second, Muchova just holding to love.

Muchova *5-3 Paolini (5)

The singles action is up and running at Louis Armstrong Stadium — and as James Hansen mentioned, this fourth-round tie has the potential to be a lot of fun.

World No. 52 and 2023 semifinalist Karolina Muchova is already showing fifth seed Jasmine Paolini she will be no easy touch, coming back from an early break (1-3) to get back on serve in the first set.

Indeed, Muchova then has a look at two break points to go ahead in the eighth game. Paolini recovers that situation to deuce but two more unforced errors hand Muchova the game and just like that, the Czech is now serving for the first set.

Karolina Muchova vs. Jasmine Paolini (5)

Attention tennis fans: this match could be spectacular.

The narrative of Paolini, a player largely in the wilderness of the WTA Tour for much of her career, and a sudden surge to two Grand Slam finals built on learning to play in a way that makes her diminutive stature a component of her game, rather than an albatross.

The narrative of Muchova, a beaten semifinalist here last year, returning from wrist surgery and taking out another returning superstar, Naomi Osaka, in the second-round match that sparked the tournament into life.

That’s a lot of narrative, and it’s not even the best part.

These two play beautiful, textured tennis that spreads into all parts of the court as easily as water.

I hope that all helped — and if you were already there and up to date, then I imagine you will have been waiting on this.

Our tennis editor James Hansen has you covered on what to look forward to on Day 8 of the 2024 U.S. Open, right here with a full breakdown of today’s schedule and key matches.

The good news? The action on Louis Armstrong has begun! Updates to follow…

As for the men’s draw? Well now. Here the picture is compelling. Once again, let’s start with the survivors:

• Alexander Zverev (4) and Grigor Dimitrov (9) are already in the quarterfinals.
• Jannik Sinner (1), Daniil Medvedev (5) and Alex de Minaur (10) are the top-10 seeds bidding to join them today.

But those guys won’t have it easy, up against some talented and relatively high-seeded opponents — as you would expect from the second week of a major.

Which means there haven’t been too many major exits in the men’s singles draw to date. But there certainly have been some.

Casper Ruud (8) and Andrey Rublev (6) have been the big fourth-round exits so far, while Alexei Popyrin was the giantkiller of Paris 2024 Olympic champion Novak Djokovic (2) in round three.

French Open and Wimbledon champ Carlos Alcaraz (3) was shocked in the round before that, losing in straight sets to world No. 74, Botic van de Zandschulp — with seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz also exiting in straight sets at the second hurdle, to Australia’s Jordan Thompson.

Holger Rune (15) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (11) were the surprise exits in the opening round.

Let’s start with the key survivors in the women’s draw, where five of the top 10 seeds are alive and well — although only two of them have booked a place in the quarterfinals:

• Qinwen Zheng (7) will face Aryna Sabalenka (2) in the last eight.
• Iga Swiatek (1), Jessica Pegula (6) and Jasmine Paolini (5) all bid to join them in the quarters today.

Which brings us on to those who haven’t made it.

As you’ll have just read, Coco Gauff (3) lost out in three sets to Emma Navarro (13) last night, while Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic (24) exited at the racket of Zheng on Sunday.

U.S. 14th seed Madison Keys was a third-round, three sets exit to Elise Mertens while French Open sensation Mirra Andreeva was a second-round failure to Ashlyn Krueger.

Elena Rybakina (4) withdrew at the same stage, while Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova (8) and Naomi Osaka also succumbed at the second hurdle.

Osaka did at least dish out the big shock of the opening round, beating 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko, with Danielle Collins (11) a surprise opening exit to U.S. compatriot, Caroline Dolehide.

A lot of tennis happens in the space of the opening week of a Grand Slam — no shocks there.

But if you’re coming in late to the final major of the year to enjoy the second week of the 2024 U.S. Open, you may be wondering where things are at with your singles favorite.

So let me bring you up to speed ahead of today’s fourth-round action, starting with the women’s draw…