Karolina Muchova reached the US Open semi-finals for a second straight year by beating Beatriz Haddad Maia in straight sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium. (More Tennis News)
Muchova, who was felled in the last four by eventual champion Coco Gauff last year, missed the first two grand slams of 2024 after undergoing wrist surgery, before going out in the first round at Wimbledon.
The 2023 French Open runner-up made a blistering start to Wednesday's quarter-final, though, breaking at the first two attempts and needing just over half an hour to clinch the opener 6-1.
She then appeared to struggle with illness in the second set and was broken to love immediately after registering another break of her own, with two double faults thrown in along the way.
The world number 55 rallied magnificently, though, converting the second of two break points to immediately restore her advantage at 4-3 before receiving treatment courtside.
Haddad Maia sought treatment herself after appearing to be in distress during the very next game, but the stop-start nature of the contest did not affect Muchova, who sealed her 6-1 6-4 victory with a huge ace.
She will face either world number one Iga Swiatek or home favourite Jessica Pegula for a place in the final on Friday, with their quarter-final clash taking place later on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Muchova's New York upturn
A trip to Flushing Meadows has proven to be just the tonic for Muchova following a difficult start to the year.
In fact, she is the first woman to reach the semi-finals of the US Open having arrived at the tournament without a single grand slam victory all season since 2020, when Jennifer Brady achieved the feat.
She is also just the second Czech player to reach the last four while winning all five of her matches in straight sets in the Open Era, after Jana Novotna, who did so in 1994 and 1998.
