CNN
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When Karolína Muchová is healthy…

This is how a sentence begins that tennis fans have said many times throughout the 28-year-old Czech’s career.

Muchová has played well in Grand Slam tournaments, but has also been held back by injuries. Now, at the US Open in New York and unseeded, she is reminding the world once again what kind of player she is when she is at her best: dangerous – and a threat to go far in the two weeks.

Muchová, whose game she said was partly inspired by Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, reached the fourth round after a 6-4, 6-2 win over Russian Anastasia Potapova on Saturday.

“It’s easy for me to motivate myself,” Muchová, currently ranked 52nd in the world, told reporters. “And competing in these big events is simply the reason why I play tennis and what I play for.”

Muchová’s next opponent is just one of two players to have made it to the second week of every Grand Slam this year: Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who beat Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. (The other player to have made the second week of every major this year is US Open defending champion Coco Gauff, who is on the other half of the draw.)

Muchová was a semifinalist at the 2023 US Open, losing to Gauff, and rose to world No. 8 at the time, which was her career-high. She was also a finalist at the 2023 French Open, a semifinalist at the 2021 Australian Open, and a two-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon (2019 and 2021).

But after reaching the semifinals of the US Open a year ago, she gave up and underwent wrist surgery. She only returned in Eastbourne at the end of June. She had also previously suffered back, abdominal and ankle injuries.

“To get far, right at the start of the tournament? To be honest, I didn’t think about that at all,” said Muchová. “I didn’t know what to expect from myself.”

“I mean, I haven’t played much this year, so I’ve tried to focus on the first game. That’s usually the hardest. I’m really, really grateful and happy to have made it to the fourth round now.

“I actually feel better with every game, so it’s nice to get a few games under my belt. I’m happy again to get the chance to play another game here.”

Muchová has produced some fantastic serve-and-volley tennis performances in New York, including her straight-sets second-round win over four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Her behind-the-back praise during her first-round win over Katie Volynets is a candidate for shot of the tournament – perhaps even shot of the year.

Meanwhile, Paolini’s breakthrough year just keeps getting better.

Before 2024, the 28-year-old Italian had never made it past the second round of a Grand Slam tournament. Now the story is very different.

Paolini, whose latest win takes her to fifth in her career rankings, has the most Grand Slam singles wins by a woman in 2024 with 18, reaching back-to-back Grand Slam finals at the French Open and Wimbledon, and winning the women’s doubles gold medal with compatriot Sara Errani at the Paris Olympics.

“This year has been incredible. … Now I’ve made it to the second week of every Grand Slam tournament,” Paolini told reporters.

“It’s crazy when they told me earlier this year before the Australian Open that I didn’t know what I was thinking.

“This is a really good moment for me. As I said, I hope to be able to maintain this level for as long as possible. I really enjoy playing at this level. I really enjoy it.

“I think that’s my dream, to play at this level in tournaments like this with this consistency, in stadiums with lots of spectators. It’s really nice to be in this position.”

Muchová leads Paolini 3-0 in her head-to-head record, but the two have not played against each other since 2021. Both players showed their respect for each other on Saturday.

“You can see that she has really improved a lot. … I actually followed Roland Garros and I’m a fan of her,” Muchová said of Paolini.

“She’s done an incredible job playing finals on clay and then grass at Wimbledon. It’s just pretty inspiring. Yes, she’s a very nice girl. So, yes, I supported her.”

Paolini said of Muchová: “I’m a fan of hers. She plays unbelievably. I really love how she plays. She can play every shot, slice, volley, serve and volley. She’s a very complete player, I think, and a very tough opponent.”

“I hope we can play a really, really good game.”

Their fourth round match will take place on Monday.