Karolina Pliskova put on one of the most dominant displays of tennis seen at this year’s US Open today, dropping just one game as she stormed past unseeded American Jennifer Brady to reach her second consecutive quarterfinal in New York.

Pliskova, the runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year and the world number one, was forced to save a match point in her third round match against Zhang Shuai, though was in cruise control today as she eased past Brady 6-1, 6-0 in well less than an hour to reach the last eight in supreme style.

World number one Pliskova celebrates her fourth round win over Brady (Getty/Abbie Parr)
World number one Pliskova celebrates her fourth round win over Brady (Getty/Abbie Parr)

Playing her first ever match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Brady unfortunately never got going, with her nervous and errorsome tennis nowhere near the standard that the world number one was playing. Pliskova hit just nine errors to 23 winners on court, and will be confident heading into her last eight encounter against 20th seed Coco Vandeweghe.

Pliskova dominates as she continues quest for maiden Grand Slam title

There were understandably some questions about Pliskova’s form heading into this fourth round encounter, with the Czech having struggled against Zhang in the third round and also Nicole Gibbs in the second round, though quite simply swept aside the world number 91 today in perhaps the most one-sided match of the tournament.

It was important for Brady to try and get off to a great start, though the American failed to do that, quickly falling down a double break as Pliskova raced to a 4-0 lead within 15 minutes. With the set clearly out of her sights, Brady was able to hold to get herself on the board, though Pliskova was looking incredibly strong as she held to go just a game away from taking the opening set, and a third break saw her take the first set in just over 25 minutes.

Brady could win only one game against a dominant opponent (Getty/Abbie Parr)
Brady could win only one game against a dominant opponent (Getty/Abbie Parr)

Pliskova has to reach the final to stay as the world number one after the action has finished in New York, and she showed today that she is extremely capable of doing just that by backing up the first set with an even more dominant display in the second. Brady was struggling heavily on court, eventually hitting just six winners throughout the match, and Pliskova faced very little resistance as she raced out to a 5-0 lead in double quick time.

Serving to stay in the match, Brady was able to force two game points to avoid the bagel, the world number one took the last four points as she eased into the next round after just 46 minutes of play.

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Oliver Dickson Jefford
20. English Literature student at the University of Southampton. Aspiring sports journalist from Hertfordshire.