By Rohith Nair
(Reuters) – Top seeds Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek have tricky U.S. Open quarter-final matches against Daniil Medvedev and Jessica Pegula, respectively, in what promises to be an entertaining night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday.
The day session begins with Beatriz Haddad Maia searching for a first victory over unseeded Karolina Muchova, who has won their previous three meetings.
Haddad Maia is also looking to become the first Brazilian woman in 56 years to reach the semis.
Britain’s Jack Draper then takes on Australia’s Alex de Minaur who has shaken off a hip injury and is seeking a spot in his first Grand Slam semi-final.
TOP MEN’S MATCH: SINNER V MEDVEDEV
Former U.S. Open champion Medvedev and Sinner will battle it out in a Grand Slam for the third time this year and if the two previous encounters are anything to go by, fans can expect another late finish in the city that never sleeps.
Sinner fought back from two sets down to beat Medvedev in the Australian Open final and also beat him once again in the semis of the Miami Masters, but the Russian won a see-saw five-set battle at Wimbledon in the quarter-finals.
“I will try to think more about Wimbledon than the Australian Open,” Medvedev said with a smile.
“But against Jannik, we had some tough matches… in Miami, for example. I feel like in a way we know our game, what we will try to bring on the table.
“Hopefully we can have a great match. I know if I want to beat him, I need to be at my best, which I managed to do a couple of times. It’s going to be a great match.”
Medvedev is the only former champion left in the draw and he also holds a 7-5 record against the Italian world number one.
TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: SWIATEK V PEGULA
Swiatek is seeking a second title at Flushing Meadows having won her first hardcourt major here in 2022 and the world number one has cruised into the quarter-finals without dropping a set.
But Pegula will be her first real test with the sixth seed enjoying a purple patch in the buildup to the year’s last Grand Slam, winning the Canadian Open and reaching the final at the Cincinnati Masters.
“Against Jessie, it’s never easy. It’s going to be, for sure, a tough one because she plays (the) flat ball with no spin. You have to really work low on your legs,” Swiatek said.
“For sure she’s in a good rhythm right now, and she won so many matches (in the) past weeks that it’s going to be a challenge.”
Pegula has not dropped a set either as she looks to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final, but she will try to forget her last encounter with the Pole who demolished her 6-1 6-0 in the decider at the WTA Finals last year.
U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1600 GMT/12 PM ET)
22-Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil) v Karolina Muchova (Czech Republic)
25-Jack Draper (Britain) v 10-Alex de Minaur (Australia)
NIGHT SESSION (2300 GMT/7 PM ET)
1-Iga Swiatek (Poland) v 6-Jessica Pegula (U.S.)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v 5-Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
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