By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday September 5, 2023

 

Madison Keys will bid for her first Grand Slam semifinal since 2018 on Day 10 at the US Open.

Photo Source: Getty

Are we really into the quarterfinals at the US Open? Hard to believe, as week one has been a big, crazy blur, but … YES! Day 10 is upon us at the US Open, with the top half of the men’s side and the bottom half of the women’s side set to contest their last eight tilts in New York.



That means the last four singles semifinal spots are on the line on at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

SEE THE FULL DAY 10 ORDER OF PLAY HERE

Here’s a rundown of some of the key storylines to watch ahead of Wednesday

Sabalenka Steams Ahead

She’s locked up the No.1 ranking after the US Open, but Aryna Sabalenka doesn’t want to back into that position. The hard-charging, rocket-ripping Belarusian wants to become No.1 with a splash bigger than her world-class ground game. And to do that she’ll have to claim the title in New York.

On Wednesday the No.2 seed will face first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Zheng Qinwen in a heavy octane battle, first up on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Sabalenka will have experience on her side, having played at least the semifinals in seven of her last 11 Slams – and all four this year. The 25-year-old has gone 21-2 at the majors this year and improved to 19-5 lifetime at the US Open when she waltzed past Daria Kasatkina on Day 8.

Zheng has been a revelation in New York. Newly coached by supercoach Wim Fissette, she has rebounded from a tough summer to find her game and battle into her maiden major quarterfinal.

She called her fourth-round win over No.5-seeded Ons Jabeur the biggest win of her life, and hopes for another massive triumph on Wednesday.

Not Friends for a Day: Medvedev v Rublev

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev – he of the 27-5 lifetime record at the US Open, is very close to Andrey Rublev. He even named the No.8 seed Godfather to his daughter, and he counts him among his closest pals.

But on Wednesday, when the pair meet for a spot in the semifinals, Medvedev says he will put the friendship aside.

“It's great to have someone like this on tour because sometimes it can be not easy,” Medvedev said. “You travel, travel, travel. To have a friend like this is great. Not much more to add.

“But again, on the court we both want to win. We not going to be friends in two days.” Medvedev owns a 5-2 edge on Rublev, and 2-0 at the Slams, but Rublev has taken two of the pair’s last three clashes.

Keys to Victory?

2017 finalist Madison Keys spoiled the party for top-ranked American Jessica Pegula, now can Keys throw a wrench in the plans of 2023 Wimbledon finalist Marketa Vondrousova?

Keys, into the last eight at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2018, will face the left-handed Czech for the first time as she bids to join fellow American Coco Gauff in the semifinals.

Keys, who also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, is 30-11 lifetime at the US Open. Vondrousova, into her first US Open quarterfinal, has a shoulder issue and had to pull out of doubles two days ago after experiencing pain during her fourth-round victory over American Peyton Stearns. Though hobbled, Vondrousova’s form at the Slams can’t be ignored. She has won 11 straight at the majors, and has the tricky game and defensive skills to throw Keys for a loop.

Carlitos vs Sascha

The heavily anticipated quarterfinal that might have occurred between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner never happened. A Herculean effort by Germany’s Alexander Zverev made sure of that. The 12th-seeded 26-year-old outmuscled Sinner in a four hour and 41-minute battle on Tuesday night to take his place in the quarterfinals alongside the defending champion.

Next, he’ll try to play spoiler again.

"I think everybody, before the tournament, was looking for two matchups: Alcaraz-Novak in the final, and Alcaraz-Sinner in the quarterfinals. So maybe I can make sure that both of those don't happen," Zverev told the thinned-out cross in Ashe after the match. "It's obviously going to be one of the toughest matches for me [against Alcaraz in the quarters] and I need to recover, that's for sure."


Carlitos, who owns a 15-1 lifetime record in Flushing Meadows, may indeed hold sway when it is all said and done, but Zverev is playing great tennis and will most certainly make it interesting.