Cristina Bucșa vs Aryna Sabalenka: US Open last 16 preview
The Spanish player, born in Chișinău, Moldova, has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.
Bucșa beat Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3 7-5 6-3. She will now face world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Bucșa showed resilience in her match. After losing the first set and trailing 2-4 in the second, she fought back to dominate the game.
"I have to thank my father Ion," Bucșa said after the match. "He trains me and helps me to give my best on the court. I love him. He is incredible."
In the last 16, Bucșa will play a major match - perhaps the biggest of her career so far - against world number one and reigning US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka advanced after beating Canada's Leylah Fernandez 6-3 7-6.
On the men's side, 2022 champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain beat Italy's Luciano Darderi 6-2 6-4 6-0.
Alcaraz will face France's Arthur Rinderknech in the last 16.
Meanwhile, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, a four-time champion, beat Britain's Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-7 6-2 6-3. Djokovic, known as 'Nole', will next meet Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
