(New York) Russian Andrey Rublev, 11^e world, snatched his place in 8 on Saturday^are finals of the United States Open by dismissing in a tiebreaker of the 5^e round, after more than 4 hours of combat, the Canadian Denis Shapovalov, (21^e) 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 7-6 (10/7). Cameron Norrie, Petra Kvitova, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek also reached 8^are of final.

In the next round, the 24-year-old Russian will face Briton Cameron Norrie (9^e).

Rublev has already played in the quarter-finals of the New York major twice (2017 and 2020), but has never gone beyond a Grand Slam.

The Russian has played in the quarter-finals of all four major tournaments (also in 2021 in Australia and in 2020 and 2022 at Roland-Garros). But he never reached the last four.

In his very close match against Shapovalov, Rublev got a break which seemed decisive at the very end of the fifth inning, to lead 5-4 and serve for the match. But after saving three match points, it was the Canadian who came back to 5-5.

And after 4:08 a.m. of a fierce fight, Rublev fell flat on his back once his opponent’s final ball landed in the hallway. The Canadian joined him to give him a big hug.

Norrie advances

Cameron Norrie (9^e) also continued his walk of health in New York on Saturday, beating easily 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 holger Rune (33^e). A third success in as many confrontations, after Lyon where he was then titled in May, and Cincinnati, where he reached the last four in mid-August.

During the match, the 19-year-old Dane complained to the referee that he believed his British rival was deliberately throwing the ball badly on serve, catching it instead of hitting it. The latter defended himself: “I have trouble with the throw sometimes, it’s not intentional. Afterwards, I can understand that it can be boring to go back”.

Here is the 27-year-old Briton, semi-finalist at Wimbledon, who reaches the 8 for the first time^e finals at Flushing Meadows. He will be opposed to the Russian Andrey Rublev (11^e).

In the evening, Rafael Nadal has an appointment with Richard Gasquet (91^e). An unbalanced confrontation on paper, since the Spaniard, who seeks to increase his record of Grand Slam titles to 23, leads 17-0 against the Frenchman.

Qualified Kvitova

Among women, the day after the elimination of Serena Williams, recording the retirement of the legendary player at 23 Grand Slams, things resumed their course and rather spectacularly, with the qualification of Petra Kvitova (21^e), winning outing in a fine duel against Garbiñe Muguruza (10^e).

The 32-year-old Czech has indeed overthrown 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (12/10) the Spaniard (10^e), after a very tight and undecided match, in 2:41.

Kvitova, a finalist in Cincinnati this summer, ended up having the last laugh in a high-flying tiebreak, after saving two match points at 6-5 against her.

It’s his sixth victory in a row at the expense of Muguruza, who had won their very first confrontation.

The Czech, champion at Wimbledon in 2014, will face the American Jessica Pegula (8^e), who dropped a set against the modest Chinese Yue Yuan (142^e), winning 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-0.

Another qualifier, Victoria Azarenka (26^e) who was in a hurry to sweep 6-3, 6-0 the Croatian Petra Martic (54^e). The Belarusian, a three-time runner-up at Flushing Meadows, will face in 8^e of the final the Swiss Belinda Bencic (13^e) or the Czech Karolina Pliskova (22^e).

Very solid since the start, the world No. 1 Iga Swiatek will play in the evening against the American Lauren Davis (105^e).

Alcaraz beats Brooksby

In express mode, Carlos Alcaraz hastened to reach 8^e final, where he has not yet lost a round, like Briton Cameron Norrie, just as in a hurry on Saturday, while waiting for Rafael Nadal in the night session.

Spaniard, 4^e world, took only 2 h 11 to ship 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 the American Jenson Brooksby (43^e), confirming his status as a title contender.

“I played very, very well. At a high level”, welcomed Alcaraz, 19, who will face in 8^e Croatian Marin Cilic (17^e and 2014 winner) or Britain’s Daniel Evans (23^e).

Last year, for his first participation, the Spanish phenomenon was revealed in New York, joining the quarter-finals, after notably dismissing the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in a memorable match. This year, he confirmed his emergence, winning four tournaments, including the Masters 1000 in Miami and Madrid.

After overwhelmingly dominating Brooksby in the first two sets, Alcaraz lost their face-off twice in a row at the start of the third set to trail 3-0. But he kept all his composure and lined up six games in a row to open the doors to the second week.

Swiatek qualified without difficulty

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek also qualified safely for the 8^are of the final, beating 6-3, 6-4 the American Lauren Davis (105^e).

The Polish will face the German Julie Niemeier (108^e) or the Chinese Qinwen Zheng (39^e), to try to reach the quarters for the first time in his career.

After a fairly solid first set, started with a break that she kept throughout, Swiatek had more difficulty containing her opponent, who played more liberated in the second set.

Davis took his entry serve and led 4-1. Moment chosen by the world No. 1 to enforce logic, by aligning five games in a row to win in less than two hours.

In the second set, “I mentally had to take one point at a time,” explained Swiatek, conceding that he had played “a difficult match during which I couldn’t really find my rhythm”.

“However, I try to enjoy every game,” she added. “Even if I don’t feel in the best of conditions, I work to find solutions to each situation. »

This victory, if it seems less overwhelming than those won during his first two rounds, confirms his slope again upwards, after a hardly conclusive preparation on hard.

In mid-August, in Ohio, as in Toronto just before, Swiatek had indeed been stopped in 8^e final, then seeming very feverish, far from the stratospheric level which was his in the spring. Irresistible, she had chained 37 victories and six titles in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome then Roland-Garros, until her fall in the third round at Wimbledon.