Wrist injuries can be career-ending, and players are afraid of them. Just ask 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who retired from Grand Slam tennis last week, unable to regain his confidence and wrist-heavy game after his own surgery.
“When I look back on that February, I have to say that I wasn’t always this positive. Those were tough times, honestly, when I couldn’t move my arm and I couldn’t do much. Now, looking back, I’m like, ‘Oh, time has gone by so quickly,’ and I feel strong again.”
Last year at Flushing Meadows, she again struggled with wrist problems, losing in the semifinals to Coco Gauff. It bothered her and eventually forced her to leave the tour and undergo surgery in February. She was off the tour – for the umpteenth time, it seems – until June and had only played 12 matches before this tournament.
Muchova’s performance wasn’t marked by much rust. Haddad Maia is a formidable ball-striker, standing at 6’1” and lacking only a higher level of consistency to be even more dangerous than her No. 21 ranking suggests. She’s also the first Brazilian to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals since Maria Bueno 56 years ago. All of which explains the sudden flourish of green-trimmed yellow jerseys all over Arthur Ashe Stadium, and the carnival atmosphere they tried to create.
