NEW YORK – Barbora Krezikova fought eight match points in the second set that ended with a 25-minute tiebreaker.
Fans chant “Let’s Go, Taylor! Let’s Go, Taylor!” For a player who became a fan favorite during the tournament after a two-round victory following a confrontation with Jerena Ostapenko, Townsend has repeatedly left her first Grand Slam quarterfinals.
Townsend was -4000 in ESPN bets when it rose 6-3 in the tiebreak of the second set. The Crezikova facing the triple match point was +1200.
However, Czech two-time Grand Slam singles champion Krezikova eliminated seven match points with a tiebreaker and defeated Townsend’s serve twice in the third set, facing fourth seed Jessica Pegra on Tuesday.
“I literally gave it everything, so it’s just stung,” Townsend said. “She came up with a really, really great tennis the moment she was falling down, so I thought I had it.”
This is Krezikova’s sixth career major quarterfinals, the first since he won Wimbledon in 2024. She reached the quarterfinal stage of the slam in the last four years, but lost in 2023.
Townsend hugged Krezicchikova online after the match, then sat in her sideline chair and began crying before leaving the courtroom, tapping her eyes with a towel.
“To be honest, I fully enjoy this crowd. That’s not for me, but it’s fine for Americans,” Krezikova said in an interview at Louis Armstrong Stadium Court after the game.
“I look forward to seeing you again at my next game. I think about it for another American.”
With her 31st Grand Slam appearance, Townsend was not close to reaching the final eight. She lost to ultimate champion Bianca Andreesque in her only four-round appearance in 2019.
Townsend remains in the women’s double stomping tournament as the number one team with Katerina Senior Kova, who won a career grand slam in doubles with Krezikova during the partnership.
Krejcikova won the 2021 French Open and 2024 Wimbledon titles, but missed nearly five months to start this season due to a back injury and worked hard to reach her second quarterfinals in New York. She met late to knock off 10-seeded American Emma Navarro in two and a half hours in the third round, then 4 minutes and 98 minutes on Sunday and only 98 minutes on the second set.
Townsend was the first to win when he scored a breakpoint on a serve at Krezikova 5-4 in the 3 hours and 3 hours of the match. Krejcikova won that game and the next game, moving up to 6-5 before Townsend forced a marathon tiebreaker.
Krejcikova hit a backhand into the corner that landed on the line to erase the fifth match point.
After Townsend’s victory over Ostapenko, the Latvian told her “no class” and “no education” to the online debate. Ostapenko later apologized in a social media post.
Townsend then upset No. 5 Mira Andreva in the third round, winning her first set in just 28 minutes on Sunday, putting her on the brink of a major breakthrough.
“I’m happy to have been able to beat (the fans), and people can know who they are. Plus, play some of my best tennis, have a great show and give the fans what they deserve. “I gave them everything I could.”
ESPN research and Associated Press contributed to this report.