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Day 7 of the US Open 2024 was filled with drama, controversy, and historic moments. From Andrey Rublev's self-inflicted injury during his heated match against Grigor Dimitrov to Chris Evert's allegedly biased commentary towards Coco Gauff, the tournament saw several notable incidents.
Frances Tiafoe's tribute to actor Tony Goldwyn, Aryna Sabalenka's record-setting quarterfinal streak, and Serena Williams' celebration of Dimitrov's victory also marked the day's highlights.
Here’s a look at these standout moments from a riveting Day 7:
Andrey Rublev's controversial 2024 US Open 4R exit
Andrey Rublev's frustration boiled over during his intense fourth-round match at the US Open, resulting in an injury he inflicted upon himself. The sixth-seeded Russian suffered a 3-6, 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-3, 3-6 defeat at the hands of ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov, in a marathon three-hour and 39-minute battle.
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Rublev's journey to the Round of 16 saw him dispatch Thiago Seyboth Wild, Arthur Rinderknech, and 32nd seed Jiri Lehecka. However, his clash with Dimitrov proved more challenging.
Just five games into the match, Rublev's frustration reached a breaking point. After a series of errors, he repeatedly slammed his racquet against his hand, requiring medical attention shortly afterward. His outburst continued in the following game, where he struck his racquet against his shoes, leading to a self-inflicted cut on his hand.
Watch the video here:
This hard-fought victory propelled Grigor Dimitrov into the US Open quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 and marked his eighth appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal. The Bulgarian is set to face 20th seed Frances Tiafoe on September 2, with the winner advancing to meet either 12th seed Taylor Fritz or fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the semifinals.
Chris Evert called out for her 'biased' commentary towards Coco Gauff
Chris Evert has come under fire for allegedly displaying "bias" in her commentary towards Coco Gauff during the defending champion's shock 3-6, 6-4, 3-6 loss to fellow American Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the 2024 US Open.
This isn't the first time Evert has faced criticism, as her commentary during earlier matches featuring Gauff, Naomi Osaka, and Karolina Muchova also drew backlash.
Tennis fans quickly took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, accusing Evert of favoring Gauff in her commentary, even as the young star was on the losing end. One wrote on Reddit and said:
"Cringeworthy broadcast performance by Chrissie Evert. The level of Coco bias was insane. It’s one thing when only one American is playing, but you’d think there’d be a little support for Navarro."
13th seed Emma Navarro reached her second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, where she will face 26th seed Paula Badosa. The winner of this match will take on either seventh seed Zheng Qinwen or the 2023 US Open runner-up Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.
Frances Tiafoe's shoutout to actor Tony Goldwyn after reaching the US Open QF
Frances Tiafoe gave a nod to American actor and director Tony Goldwyn after securing his third consecutive quarterfinal appearance at the 2024 US Open.
Tiafoe triumphed over 28th seed Alexei Popyrin with a 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 win in a three-hour, two-minute Round of 16 match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Popyrin had previously made headlines by defeating defending champion Novak Djokovic in four sets in the third round.
During his on-court interview following the victory, Tiafoe gave a special shoutout to Goldwyn, who was in the stands to support him. Goldwyn is well-known for his roles in "Scandal", "The Last Samurai", and "Oppenheimer".
"Tony Goldwyn was in the crowd tonight. I’m a huge fan of you bro. Me and my girl used to watch "Scandal" all the time. I’m a huge fan bro," Tiafoe said.
This win places Frances Tiafoe in elite company, joining former champions Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Pete Sampras as the only American men to reach at least three US Open quarterfinals since 2000.
Aryna Sabalenka reached her fourth consecutive US Open QF
With her 6-2, 6-4 win over 33rd seed Elise Mertens in the Round of 16 at the 2024 US Open, Aryna Sabalenka made history as the first player to reach four consecutive US Open quarterfinals since Serena Williams did so from 2013 to 2016.
The second seed advanced to her 10th Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Priscilla Hon, Lucia Bronzetti, 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, and now Mertens. Sabalenka aims to surpass her performance from last year when she finished as the runner-up to Coco Gauff.
Serena Williams, a six-time US Open singles champion, captured two of her titles in 2013 and 2014 and followed those victories with consecutive semifinal appearances in 2015 and 2016.
The World No. 2 is set to face Paris gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals on September 2. The winner of this match will play either 26th seed Paula Badosa or 13th seed Emma Navarro in the semifinals.
Serena Williams' joyful celebration of Grigor Dimitrov's US Open 4R win
Serena Williams celebrated with joy alongside American singer Alicia Keys following Grigor Dimitrov's five-set triumph over Andrey Rublev in the Round of 16 at the 2024 US Open. This win marked Dimitrov's second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance this season, following his quarterfinal run at the French Open.
Watch the video here:
Williams made her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since her final professional match in 2022, attending Day 6 and 7 of the tournament. Dimitrov revealed that Williams had given him a motivational pep talk the previous day. He said (via ATP Tour):
"For some reason (I don't get nervous playing,) not in front of her. She gave me a good prep talk yesterday. So, no, I'm thrilled."
There have been numerous reports suggesting that Williams and Dimitrov were in an alleged relationship in the early 2010s, though neither has publicly confirmed or denied these reports.
