Muchova became visibly distressed early in the first set when she noticed her ex-boyfriend sitting directly across from her in the stands. The umpire inquired if she needed assistance. The Czech player, struggling with her composure, fell behind 4-1 to Cirstea. However, the 11th seed's superior skill eventually shone through, enabling her to recover and secure a 7-6(0), 6-7(3), 6-4 victory on 29/8.
Following the nearly three-hour match, Muchova revealed that her ex-boyfriend's presence was the source of her distress and fear, even though there were no incidents from the stands.
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Muchova celebrates a point during her second-round match against Cirstea at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, on 29/8. Photo: Reuters |
Muchova celebrates a point during her second-round match against Cirstea at the US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, on 29/8. Photo: Reuters
"It's clearly not tennis-related, so I don't want to elaborate," the 27-year-old stated. "My ex-boyfriend has shown up several times, sometimes in places he shouldn't be. He always sits near where I am, or opposite me. So I was a bit scared. I asked if he could move somewhere else. He didn't initially, but then he left. After that, I could refocus on the match."
Muchova, who reached a career-high ranking of number eight two years ago and is currently ranked 13th, has reached the US Open semifinals in the past two years and finished 4th in women's singles at the Paris Olympics last year. She was also the runner-up at the 2023 French Open and reached the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open.
Earlier this year, Muchova witnessed a similar incident involving her opponent Emma Raducanu. During their match at the Dubai Championships, Raducanu was closely followed and verbally harassed by a male fan. The British player had to ask the umpire to intervene, and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) subsequently suspended the fan's attendance at matches pending an assessment of the potential threat he posed.
In the third round of the US Open, Muchova will face fellow Czech player Linda Noskova, while Raducanu has been eliminated after losing to Elena Rybakina 1-6, 2-6.
Vy Anh
