On a rain-soaked Friday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, Czech left-hander Marketa Vondrousova delivered a performance brimming with craft and composure to knock out No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini, 7-6(4), 6-1, and book her place in the last 16 of the 2025 US Open. The third-round clash, played on Grandstand court, saw Vondrousova extend her head-to-head record over the Italian to 2-0 and notch her 15th career win against a top 10 player.
Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion and 2021 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, has been quietly rebuilding her game after a challenging 2024 season marred by shoulder surgery and other injuries. Arriving in New York ranked No. 60, she’d already signaled her intent with a grass-court title in Berlin earlier this summer and a pair of strong wins in the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows—including a second-round upset of No. 32 seed McCartney Kessler.
Paolini, meanwhile, came into the US Open in the form of her life. The 29-year-old Italian, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 after a stunning singles and doubles sweep at the Italian Open earlier in 2025, was fresh off a runner-up finish at the Cincinnati Open, where she toppled Coco Gauff before falling to Iga Swiatek in the final. Her first two rounds in New York were clinical: a straight-sets win over Destanee Aiava, sealed with a tense 7-6(4) tiebreak in the second set, and a breezy victory over teenager Iva Jovic.
Yet on this blustery afternoon, it was Vondrousova’s lefty variety and relentless defense that stole the show. The Czech dictated the tempo from the baseline, mixing sharp angles, subtle slices, and deft drop shots to keep Paolini off balance. In the first set, both players produced highlight-reel tennis, trading penetrating forehands and clever net approaches. Paolini, for her part, fought off two break points and matched Vondrousova blow for blow, but struggled to capitalize on her own chances.
The set ultimately came down to a tiebreak, where Vondrousova raced ahead 6-2 with a flurry of winners and forced errors from the Italian. Paolini saved two set points but faltered on the third, sending a backhand long to hand Vondrousova the opener, 7-6(4). "It was a very important game. Big difference between 4-2 and 5-1. It was a crazy game — and the key to the match," Vondrousova said after the match.
From there, the Czech raised her level even further. She broke Paolini’s serve twice in the second set, including a crucial break in the sixth game when Paolini’s backhand again found the net. Vondrousova, who won 48 of her 70 service points and did not drop serve all match, raced to a 4-1 lead and never looked back. Paolini, who had relied on her serve as a weapon through the tournament, was unable to find her rhythm under Vondrousova’s relentless pressure. The Italian hung her head after netting an overhead on match point—a fitting symbol of the afternoon’s frustrations.
The final statistics told the story: Vondrousova produced 22 winners to Paolini’s 20 and kept her unforced errors to a minimum. Paolini, who had been so solid in previous rounds, faltered under the Czech’s returns, dropping her serve twice and converting none of her own break opportunities. The match lasted just an hour and 26 minutes, but it was packed with high-quality exchanges and momentum swings—at least until Vondrousova’s second-set surge.
The weather, too, played its part. Passing rain showers interrupted play at intervals, adding an extra layer of tension and unpredictability. But Vondrousova, who has played some of her best tennis on the sport’s biggest stages, seemed unfazed. “It’s incredible to be here again and play good tennis,” she said. “I have nothing to lose.”
Paolini’s run in New York, though cut short, marks her second-best showing at the US Open. She previously reached the fourth round in 2024, falling to Karolina Muchova. This year’s third-round exit is a reminder of both her progress and the fine margins at the top of the women’s game. With a Rome WTA 1000 title and a Cincinnati final already under her belt, Paolini remains on the cusp of breaking through at a Grand Slam. Her highlight reel from the past two seasons includes back-to-back finals at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, a title in Dubai, and a debut at the WTA Finals in both singles and doubles. She’ll no doubt be back with even more fire.
For Vondrousova, the victory sets up a tantalizing fourth-round duel with Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and current No. 9 seed, who dispatched 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu in straight sets earlier in the day. The two Wimbledon champions will battle for a spot in the quarterfinals, and with Vondrousova regaining her best form, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, American No. 5 seed Jessica Pegula continued her strong run, defeating former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 7-5 to reach the fourth round without dropping a set. Pegula’s consistency and deep returns proved too much for Azarenka, who struggled with a left-leg issue throughout the match. Pegula will face the winner of the match between Priscilla Hon and Ann Li in the next round.
Other big names in action included Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, and Aryna Sabalenka, all vying for a piece of the tournament’s $90 million prize pool. With upsets and drama unfolding daily, the 2025 US Open is living up to its reputation as one of tennis’s most unpredictable and electrifying stages.
As the sun set over Flushing Meadows, Vondrousova’s comeback story took another thrilling turn. Her blend of tactical genius and steely nerves has put her right back in the Grand Slam conversation. With a fourth-round showdown against Rybakina looming, fans can expect even more fireworks from the Czech lefty. For Paolini, the disappointment will sting, but her upward trajectory remains unmistakable. The world will be watching to see how both women respond in the next chapter of their tennis journeys.
