![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/130986929_gettyimages-1660023432-696x392.jpg\" "\\"_130986929_gettyimages-1660023432\\"\/")
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Third seed Jessica Pegula and Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur suffered frustrating defeats in the fourth round at the US Open.<\/p>\n
American Pegula, who had been one of the favourites for the title, put in an error-strewn performance in a 6-1 6-3 loss to compatriot\u00a0Madison Keys.<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite her success on the WTA Tour, the 29-year-old has yet to go beyond the quarter-finals at any Grand Slam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last year\u2019s runner-up Jabeur lost 6-2 6-4 to China\u2019s\u00a0Zheng Qinwen.<\/strong><\/p>\n Qinwen, 20, reached the first Grand Slam quarter-final of her career and will face Belarusian second seed\u00a0Aryna Sabalenka<\/strong>\u00a0next.<\/p>\n Sabalenka, a semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2021 and 2022, won 6-1 6-3 against Russian 13th seed Daria Kasatkina.<\/p>\n The Australian Open champion, 25, will be become the new world number one at the end of the tournament following\u00a0Iga Swiatek\u2019s exit in the last 16.<\/p>\n \u201cI had no doubt that Iga was going to make it to the final. I was sad that she lost, but becoming number one means a lot to me,\u201d said Sabalenka.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been pushing myself a lot this year to make this goal and I still can\u2019t believe it, but I didn\u2019t want to be distracted for tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n Jabeur unable to find \u2018warrior\u2019 mood<\/strong><\/p>\n Jabeur was left heartbroken after losing a second Wimbledon final in July and has struggled with illness during her time in New York.<\/p>\n The Tunisian fifth seed has also exerted a lot of energy on the court, having won both of her previous two matches in three sets.<\/p>\n Jabeur was broken twice in the first set against Qinwen, rescuing one of them before handing the momentum straight back to her opponent.<\/p>\n She saved four match points in the second as Qinwen\u2019s nerves struck, but the Chinese 23rd seed held on to secure a place in the last eight.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter what the tournament is, you always take a great lesson,\u201d said 29-year-old Jabeur.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that I can dig deep. Maybe I\u2019m tough with myself today because I couldn\u2019t get that warrior mood on. It\u2019s just disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n Off-colour Pegula stumbles at a Slam again<\/strong><\/p>\n Jessica Pegula reached the quarter-finals at last year\u2019s US Open<\/em><\/p>\n Keys and Pegula are good friends and the two shared a warm hug at the net following their fourth-round match, but Pegula could not hide her disappointment.<\/p>\n She had won the Canadian Open in the build-up to the final major of the year, registering a notable victory over Swiatek in the process.<\/p>\n However, she has consistently struggled to break through at the majors, having never gone beyond the last eight in six attempts.<\/p>\n Pegula was off-colour from the start, struggling to find her rhythm against the big-hitting Keys, who was the runner-up in 2017.<\/p>\n She hit just three winners in the first set, which she lost in just 28 minutes, and quickly found herself a breakdown in the second.<\/p>\n Pegula was able to take advantage of a blip from 17th seed Keys to retrieve the break for 3-3, but she lost the next three games as Keys reasserted her dominance.<\/p>\n Vondrousova wins despite arm issue<\/strong><\/p>\n Keys will now face Wimbledon champion\u00a0Marketa Vondrousova<\/strong>, who had to fight back to see off spirited American Peyton Stearns 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-2.<\/p>\n Czech ninth seed Vondrousova, who has reached the quarter-finals in New York for the first time, appeared to be struggling with an arm injury during the match.<\/p>\n She took medication at the start of the second set for the issue and later said the heaviness of the tennis balls was impacting her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just from the balls. They are very heavy and the season is long, so I feel like you just have to fight through it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like the balls are not helping with everything. It\u2019s tough but I just fought through it and I\u2019m very happy with my win\u201d.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old was upset later when she told doubles partner Barbora Strycova she would not be able to compete alongside her.<\/p>\n Fellow Czech Strycova is competing in her last tournament and the duo\u2019s withdrawal from the doubles marks the end of the end of her career.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, it was a bit sad, I cried a bit when I told Barbora [she couldn\u2019t play doubles] but I had so many injuries that I don\u2019t want to play with some more,\u201d Vondrousova added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Jessica](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/_130985720_pegula_getty.jpg\")
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