Jannik Sinner-Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka-Zheng Qinwen pairs set up rematch of their Australian Open finals at US Open in a historic first
The US Open 2024 quarterfinal line-up will pit this year's Australian Open finalists against each other once again. This marks the first time in the Open Era that a rematch of both Australian Open singles finals will take place at a subsequent Major in the same season.
Aryna Sabalenka pipped Zheng Qinwen to defend her Melbourne crown earlier this year and will take on her in a re-match in New York on Tuesday evening (September 3).
Both players' results took a hit after their Australian Open run. Sabalenka was the first to regroup as she reached back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome, and the French Open quarterfinals. However, an injury forced her to miss Wimbledon, and slowly rebuilt her form which culminated in her triumph at the Cincinnati Open.
Zheng made the last eight in the Italian capital as well, though it was at the Paris Olympics where she thrived. She became the first player from Asia to win a gold medal in singles. She faced Sabalenka in the US Open quarterfinals last year as well, and lost to her in straight sets.
Sinner staged a mighty comeback from two sets down in the summit clash Down Under to capture his maiden Major title over Medvedev. It marked the latter's third defeat in an Australian Open final, and the second time he blew a two-set lead in the final, having done the same against Rafael Nadal in 2022.
Sinner and Medvedev have faced off thrice this year, with the former leading 2-1. The Russian won their most recent duel which took place at Wimbledon a few weeks ago, and needed five sets to oust the World No. 1 in the quarterfinals. Their US Open quarterfinal is set for Wednesday, September 4.
Jannik Sinner and Zheng Qinwen vying for a maiden US Open semifinal, Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka aiming for an encore
Jannik Sinner and Zheng Qinwen are eyeing to make the last four of the US Open for the first time in their careers. The Italian came quite close to a semifinal berth two years ago but blew a match point during his quarterfinal loss to Carlos Alcaraz.
Aryna Sabalenka reached her first US Open semifinal three years ago, and bowed out at the same stage the following year as well. She went a step further last year but lost to Coco Gauff in the championship round.
Daniil Medvedev won his first and so far only Major title here three years ago over Novak Djokovic in the final. He finished as the runner-up here in 2019 and 2023 and reached the semifinals in 2020. Neither the Russian nor Sabalenka have lost in the quarterfinals here, and the duo will aim to keep the streak intact when they go up against Sinner and Zheng respectively.