US Open tennis Day 9 as it happened - Leylah Fernandez stuns Elina Svitolina to reach semis as Daniil Medvedev also wins
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Updated 07/09/2021 at 21:35 GMT
Our coverage of day nine took in two fascinating quarter-final clashes at what has been an unbelievably good 2021 US Open in New York. Daniil Medvedev defeated surprise package Botic van de Zandschulp, while Elina Svitolina was edged out by rising star Leylah Fernandez.
'I have a hard time finding a weakness in her game' - Wilander on Raducanu run
Join us again on Day 10
That's it for our game-by-game coverage of today's action at Flushing Meadows. You can, of course, follow what's happening in the late session via our score centre.
No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka meets No.8 seed Barbora Krejcikova with Fernandez awaiting the winner.
Following that, Felix Auger-Aliassime takes on Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 7-6 SVITOLINA
Wow! The 19-year-old is into the semi finals. She wins a topsy-turvy decisive tie break by a 7-5 scoreline and edges out the No.5 seed in two hours and 24 minutes. She will now meet No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka or No.8 seed Barbora Krejcikova in the last four.
TIE-BREAK LATEST – Fernandez leads 4-2
Fernandez strikes first with a crunching return winner up the line to punish another weak second serve. Svitolina then shanks a horrific backhand way off court but gets a lifeline when Leylah blasts a forehand into the tramlines.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 6-6 SVITOLINA
Svitolina survives another double fault for 30-30 and wriggles through to take us into a tie-break decider.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 6-5 SVITOLINA
Both players are refusing to fold here. Svitolina bites back from 40-15 down to make deuce and then absorbs constant pressure under a barrage of thunderbolts from Leylah. The Canadian keeps letting rip and gets her reward with a backhand winner. The 19-year-old is one game away once again.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 5-5 SVITOLINA
Some of the rallies in this match have been irresistible. Svitolina edges the hold to level matters with a sublime drop volley after the players had the crowd gasping with more baseline brilliance. The Ukrainian had been 30-0 up but needed to hang tough at 30-30 and is now back in business after being 5-2 down.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 5-4 SVITOLINA
Elina’s not done yet! The Olympic bronze medallist digs in at 30-30, raising the volume of her grunts and upping the power on her groundstrokes. She lures the backhand error long to clock up break back point and fizzes home a drive volley to deny the young Canadian on this occasion.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 5-3 SVITOLINA
Superb. Svitolina nails back-to-back aces down the T pose the serve-out question after Fernandez had made 30-30 with a supreme forehand up the line.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 5-2 SVITOLINA
This time the teen sensation – who only turned 19 yesterday – consolidates to 30. Svitolina sees the drop shot coming a mile away at 40-30 and thinks she’s going to blaze a winner to make deuce. Fernandez gets there and the Ukrainian can only block a volley wide. It’s a let off for Leylah but she won’t care. She’s one game away from securing a late birthday present for herself – a spot in the last four of the US Open.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 4-2 SVITOLINA
More jubilant raising of a teenage arm and it can only mean one thing – the Canadian underdog takes control again. Svitolina leaves herself too much to do at triple break point down. She fends off one but a bullet forehand penetrates her defence and we have a third break in a row!
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 3-2 SVITOLINA
Have that! Fernandez can’t back it up as an error long coughs up two break back points. The Canadian saves one with a first ace of the match but Svitolina pounces on a poor second serve with a venomous crosscourt return. Still anyone’s match.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 3-1 SVITOLINA
A huge reaction from Leylah – she’s seriously pumped up out there! She almost plays herself at times in that game, mixing winners with near misses. In the end she strikes first blood in this set. A fizzing return winner up the line to punish a timid serve earns her the BP and she snares the game in style when she comes out on top in the exchange of volleys that follow a surprise drop shot.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 2-1 SVITOLINA
A third double fault of the match has the crowd murmuring anxiously for the 19-year-old as she falls 0-30 down. She responds with a big first serve but then gets slightly fortunate when Svitolina picks the wrong way with a pass and allows her to volley a winner. The Ukrainian digs in to force deuce but a fabulous drive volley taken out of the sky finds the postage stamp and the world No.73 is soon walking to her chair and raising her hands in the air to ask for more love and energy from the crowd.
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Leylah Fernandez - US Open
Image credit: Getty Images
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 1-1 SVITOLINA
Elina gets away with that. The No.5 seed is pressed at 30-30 and should be serving from deuce, but Leylah misjudges a hopeful retrieval and ends up losing a face-off at the net.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 1-0 SVITOLINA
That’s an important riposte from the teenager. She looks frustrated at 0-30 but battens down the hatches to reel off four points in a row and seize that scoreboard advantage at the start of the decider.
SET! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-6 SVITOLINA
Fernandez finds some magic on her return game and ends up earning three separate break points. She looks in charge on the third but a stonking crosscourt pass on the run from Svitolina catches her out. The Ukrainian nails a big forehand and then conjures up an ace to fend off the challenge and level the match!
FERNANDEZ 6-3 3-5 SVITOLINA
There’s still a way to go but Leylah is doing her best to make this interesting. A crosscourt forehand pass shows she’s got some swagger back and she easily holds despite chucking down a second double fault of the match. Svitolina now has a second chance to serve out the set.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 2-5 SVITOLINA
Or maybe not! Fernandez takes advantage of a patchy service game from the No.5 seed and rifles a super winner to pull one of the breaks back.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 1-5 SVITOLINA
This set is … Done! The error count is rising alarmingly from Fernandez’s perspective. She slices long to cough up another break point and it proves costly. Svitolina shows great foot speed to race on to a drop shot and execute an angled pass to clinch a double break.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 1-4 SVITOLINA
Elina consolidates to love. A barometer of the change comes in the longer rallies. She wins a 15-shot exchange towards the end of the game, which is something she wasn’t ding in the opening set.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 1-3 SVITOLINA
Momentum swing! Fernandez suddenly can’t find her spots and some superb defence from Svitolina sees her clock up triple break point. The Canadian saves one with a brilliant forehand but can’t do enough under pressure on the backhand and the No.5 seed has the ascendancy.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 1-2 SVITOLINA
‘Come on!’ is the cry from Elina as she hangs on to stay ahead on the board. A fourth ace again demonstrates the impact of her faster serve and although she chucks in a double fault it’s not enough to divert her off track.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 1-1 SVITOLINA
The Ukrainian goes on the attack but can’t quite make the inroads she’s looking for. Her A-game isn’t quite there and she fails to take advantage of a mid-court opportunity, which allows Leylah to get on the board.
FERNANDEZ 6-3 0-1 SVITOLINA
The first step to a recovery? Maybe. The main thing is that it’s a start. The No.5 seed surges through a love hold to send a message to the opposite end that she doesn’t plan to go down without an almighty fight.
SET! - FERNANDEZ 6-3 SVITOLINA
The 19-year-old Canadian is at it again! She rifles a wonderful crosscourt backhand winner to tee up a second set point from deuce and then outlasts the Ukrainian in another lengthy rally to claim the opener in 39 minutes.
FERNANDEZ 5-3 SVITOLINA
Elina finds a timely second ace as the run against her threatened to conclude the set. It helps her battle back from 0-30 down with a narrow miss off the return from Fernandez helping her along.
FERNANDEZ 5-2 SVITOLINA
It’s one-way traffic all of a sudden! Fernandez is everywhere right now, chasing down a stun volley to ease a crosscourt pass at a short angle Svitolina couldn’t get back into play. Cue a triumphant shake of the arm as the crowd rise to applaud the calibre of the rallying.
BREAK! - FERNANDEZ 4-2 SVITOLINA
Elina once again looks in control at 40-15 but a weird decision to try a surprise drop shot that lands in the net unravels her game. Two more errors follow to cough up a break point and although Leylah doesn’t take it, she forces another with a thumping crosscourt return winner. A quite mesmerising 24-shot rally ensues with Fernandez stepping it up at the right moment to outmanoeuvre her opponent and ease a winner into the empty court.
FERNANDEZ 3-2 SVITOLINA
Plucky work from the teenager. She hits top gear from 15-30 down with a sizzling crosscourt backhand the pick of her points.
FERNANDEZ 2-2 SVITOLINA
The No.5 seed seems to have added extra pace to that serve at this tournament and it’s paying off with some cheap points. It’s an efficient game from Elina to easily reach parity.
FERNANDEZ 2-1 SVITOLINA
The 19-year-old finds another gear from 30-30 as she follows up a clunky volley with a stun and then a block at the net. She then conjures up a bewitching drop shot that Elina did not see coming to keep her nose in front early doors.
FERNANDEZ 1-1 SVITOLINA
It’s a rapid and equally impressive response from the Ukrainian. Both players look in the zone and ready right from the off here.
FERNANDEZ 1-0 SVITOLINA
That’s an exciting start from Leylah. She looks highly confident, steering a brilliant forehand winner from a kneeling position and lashing down an unreturnable serve. Svitolina fires long twice as she looks to stamp her authority on the proceedings but it’s an easy hold for the Canadian in the end.
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'Fernandez very important for women's tennis in the future' - Schett
Can Canada's teen sensation upset another seed?
Next up at Arthur Ashe stadium, No.5 seed Elina Svitolina takes on Canadian teen sensation Leylah Fernandez in the quarter finals of the women's draw.
Fernandez, 19, is just one of a number of teens who have made waves at Flushing Meadows over the past week or so. She’s taken down three-time major winner, Angie Kerber (16th seed) and four-time Slam champion Naomi Osaka en route to this stage. Can she take down the Tokyo bronze medallist next?
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Leylah Fernandez
Image credit: Getty Images
GAME, SET AND MATCH! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 7-5 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The Dutchman can’t escape this time! The world number two finally comes through what turned into a very tricky contest on his second match point as VDZ’s drop shot tactic came unstuck at the net. Daniil breezed through the first two sets but found himself in a real tussle from that moment on. Botic battled well and earned himself a charge up the rankings but his fairytale run from qualifying to the main draw ends in the quarter finals. The 2019 finalist will now meet Alcaraz or Auger-Aliassime in the last four.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 6-5 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
No time for a breather for VDZ. Medvedev canters through a love hold and the heat returns the way of the world number 117. He must hold to force a tie break or his run will finally be over.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 5-5 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
What a recovery! Medvedev comes up with a fine return to snare match point and pile the pressure on the qualifier. He responds with a trio of clutch points to wriggle out of dodge from deuce. You have to say the Dutchman has been magnificent since the start of Set 3.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 5-4 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Double fault? Shrug. Medvedev doesn’t let it bother him as he motors to another convincing hold.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 4-4 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
All square. The crowd erupt as Botic continues to defy the odds and his tiring legs. He outlasts Medvedev in a pulsating final rally with the Russian forced to go for a tough forehand up the line that cracks against the net post.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 4-3 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Blink and you’ll have missed that. Love. Hold. Back to you, Botic.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 3-3 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
He’s got all the answers right now. He’s bringing Medvedev into the mid-court quite often which is luring more errors out of the Russian’s forehand from a low position. An acute angled volley seals a hold to 30 as Daniil is again left frustrated.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 3-2 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The Russian is really trying to assert his authority but Botic is pushing hard. The No.2 seed makes a timely move into the net at 30-30 to swat away a volley before a huge serve keeps his nose in front.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 2-2 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That is swashbuckling stuff from the Dutchman. He thunders through his own love hold, rattling down the first serves akin to the style of the world No.2.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 2-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The world No.2 nudges the ace counter up to 12 to conclude a comprehensive love hold.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 1-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Too good. Daniil opened the door for a recovery in the last set and VDZ has stepped through and now doesn’t want to leave. He’s loving those drop shots too.
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Daniil Medvedev of Russia returns against Botic van de Zandschulp of Netherlands
Image credit: Getty Images
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 1-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Medvedev strolls to the service line with a look of someone who means business – and he certainly does. The forehand looks more controlled and the first serve does some damage as he eases through to start Set 3 with a statement of intent.
SET! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-6 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Medvedev DOES drop the set! The qualifier steps it up from 15-30 down, producing a quite outstanding drop shot from deep to turn the game around. An overhead earns him the set point and perhaps fittingly, the malfunctioning Med forehand leaks an error once more to help him over the line.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 4-5 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Medvedev outlasts VDZ in a slice-athon with the rest of the game proving pretty routine. The Dutchman will now serve for the set.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 3-5 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The qualifier slaps down only his second ace of the match to assert this authority and moves within a game of the set when Daniil lashes a tough forehand down the line just wide.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 3-4 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
He’s obviously had enough of that. Medvedev storms out of his lull and rampages through a rapid hold to keep his hopes of saving this set alive. Remember, he’s yet to drop a set at the US Open this year.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 2-4 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Wow. What’s happened there? Medvedev seems to have lost his way as the world No.117 consolidates with a comfortable love hold.
BREAK! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 2-3 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That’s sublime! Van de Zandschulp conjures up a majestic drop shot that clips the outside of the line to clock up a break point. He then unleashes a forehand winner to hit the front! Is there a twist in this one after all?
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 2-2 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
They have been few and far between, but that was relatively routine for the Dutchman. This set has been the most competitive by far. Perhaps the qualifier still has some fight in him?
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 2-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
A sixth ace contributes to a much more ruthless service game than his previous one for the Russian. He blasts his way to a love hold and looks eager to get this match done and dusted quickly from this juncture.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 1-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Botic halts the rot at eight games. There’s a ripple of enthusiastic applause from the crowd who had been lulled into a quiet trance as Medvedev weaved his patient path to the semis from his baseline. The processions still looks on but perhaps VDZ can make things much more interesting in this set…
MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 1-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That was a real slog for Daniil and almost as long as the entirety of the second set. He’s his own worst enemy with a succession of long unforced errors off the forehand. He almost lacks his famous patience but manages to swat away three separate break points and eventually come through a rare test in this match.
SET! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 6-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
It’s one of those days unfortunately for Botic. A forehand that looks all set to be a winner clips the net post and flies wide. The Dutchman recovers with a splendid lob after some drop shot mayhem at the net but is forced to digest the 19-minute bagel Daniil is serving up when a forehand into the net follows a sweeping pass from the Russian.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 5-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Medvedev is enjoying himself out there. A third ace leaves VDZ looking forlorn at the opposite end of the net and a fourth – via second serve- seals a simple game to 15.
BREAK! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 4-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The rally exchanges have pretty much followed the same pattern despite VDZ having the type of game to mix things up. Another forehand flies wide after more patient probing from the Russian and he has a double break once again. This match is running away from Botic rather quickly.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 3-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
A second ace of the match helps Daniil keep Botic at bay as he holds to 30 to consolidate.
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Van de Zandschulp.
Image credit: Getty Images
BREAK! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 2-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Oof! Botic needed something more positive there. He’s already looking a tad jaded given his exertions in getting this far and the mountain just got that bit steeper. He’s showcasing his variety and venom on the forehand but not really winning the big points. Medvedev breaks early and will be hoping to complete another win in efficient time here.
MEDVEDEV 6-3 1-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The No.2 seed gets his serving Mojo flowing and rattles down a pair of service winners to commence Set 2 with a comfortable hold to 15.
SET! - MEDVEDEV 6-3 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The Russian was like a dog with a bone there. He just wouldn’t let the 25-year-old qualifier get any closer. He kept pressing and frustrating the Dutchman with his patient rallying before luring the error to convert on a third set point.
MEDVEDEV 5-3 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That is unexpected! The Ashe crowd show their appreciation as VDZ ups the ante and gets his reward for dictating the rallies. Medvedev hits back to 30-30 after a pair of lovely forehand winners from the Dutchman, who then clocks up a break point with a smart move into the net to put away a clean volley. Medvedev gets caught out by a low slice and drills a backhand into the net, allowing the underdog to snatch one of the breaks back.
MEDVEDEV 5-2 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That’s a sharp game from the qualifier. Medvedev seems to let up on the return, allowing the Botic a chance to gets big forehand into play. It pays dividends too as he cruises through a hold to 15 to avoid the breadstick.
MEDVEDEV 5-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
The world No.2 moves up the gears at 30-30, producing a serve-plus-one with an eye-catching jump into the backhand winner before a first ace of the contest backs up the double break.
BREAK! - MEDVEDEV 4-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That’s the insurance break. VDZ pays the price for two overcooked drop shots as Medvedev sweeps in to exploit them on both occasions. The Dutchman is trying to stay patient but when he does pull the trigger it’s just not happening for him. He blazes a forehand long once again to cough up the double break and turns to cast a concerned glance towards his box.
MEDVEDEV 3-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
That’s impressive. Medvedev shows no issues with the sun beaming down on his ball toss and charges through an excellent love hold.
MEDVEDEV 2-1 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
It’s a much-needed hold and it’s achieved in real style. The world No.117 puts together a run of impressive points that offer a cameo of just how he’s managed to see off the likes of eighth seed Casper Ruud and 11th seed Diego Schwartzman en route to the last eight. He takes the game to love and looks to have acclimatised to his surroundings.
MEDVEDEV 2-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
Botic can’t find the line with a crosscourt return at 30-30 and from there his hopes of probing for a break back end rapidly. Medvedev consolidates and is off to an ominous start.
BREAK! - MEDVEDEV 1-0 VAN DE ZANDSCHULP
It’s not the start the Dutchman would have been hoping for. He shows some early big-stage nerves with a double fault and an over-zealous backhand that fizzes long. It gives Daniil an early look at two break points. The Russian fires a forehand long on the first but outlasts is opponent on the second one with another avoidable error off the forehand proving costly for the qualifier.
DID YOU KNOW?
Van de Zandschulp is the first Dutchman to reach a major championship quarter-final since Sjeng Schalken at Wimbledon in 2004.
Medvedev on VDZ
“I saw a few matches of his before. I remember he played Karen (Khachanov) in Melbourne, had match point against him. I saw him practise a few times. I know kind of how he plays. I know he can play well.”
Welcome to Day 9
Come on in for our game-by-game coverage of today's action at Flushing Meadows. You can, of course, follow what's happening in the late session via our US Open score centre.
Our coverage of day nine takes in two fascinating quarter-final clashes at what has been an unbelievably good 2021 US Open in New York.
Daniil Medvedev takes on surprise package Botic van de Zandschulp, while Elina Svitolina takes on rising star Leylah Fernandez looking to follow her Olympic bronze medal with her first Grand Slam title.
Here is the menu of action coming up at Flushing Meadows...
Order of Play, Tuesday, September 7 - From 5PM UK Time
Arthur Ashe Stadium (5pm)
- B. Van de Zandschulp (NED) vs. D. Medvedev (RUS) [2]
- E. Svitolina (UKR) [5] vs. L. Fernandez (CAN)
Not before 12am
- B. Krejcikova (CZE) [8] vs A. Sabalenka (BLR) [2]
- F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN) [12] vs. C. Alcaraz (ESP)
'I don't think she has a weakness'
Britain's Emma Raducanu is an "amazing player", says Eurosport's Mats Wilander, who is struggling to find a single weakness in her game as she continues to take the US Open by storm.
Raducanu continued her fairytale summer by sending home favourite Shelby Rogers packing to reach the last eight at Flushing Meadows with a comprehensive 6-2 6-1 win and Wilander could not be more impressed.
"It's an amazing performance," Wilander said of Raducanu's inspired run at Flushing Meadows, following on from her breakthrough showing at Wimbledon in the summer.
"Seriously, if I had not watched any of her matches - after what happened at Wimbledon and the pressure she's been under since then - I would have said this was an impossibility.
"Watching her play, she is so calm, she moves so well, she just loves being out there.
I really have a hard time finding a weakness in her game. I don't think she has one. She is an amazing player.
"Raducanu moves as well as any player out there, and it doesn't look like you can make her tired either.
"I think everyone is going to have to step on the gas and they are going to have to go for a little more than they normally have to against the other players on tour. So I think Raducanu has a serious chance here."
Fellow Eurosport expert Alex Corretja agreed: "She is moving too well for her opponents. She is going too fast, and the intensity she is creating is way too high.
"I think she is not missing too much, and at the same time, she is finding winners - on return and on serve.
"Because she is young she just goes for it, and maybe veterans feel a bit more pressure going against her. Seeing she is so dangerous, it is a really difficult combination for her opponents."
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