By Chris Oddo | Friday September 1, 2017
For the second straight time this summer, Garbiñe Muguruza has waltzed past Magdalena Rybarikova at a major by a 6-1, 6-1 score. The Spaniard continued her rummaging through the U.S. Open draw on Friday, easing past Rybarikova and eliminating two players from contention from the No.1 ranking in the process.
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Muguruza’s victory means that the WTA’s race to No.1 is down to three. Simona Halep and Venus Williams joined Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki and Johanna Konta as those that have been eliminated from contention early this week. See table for today’s details and point totals below.
Muguruza is thought by many to be the favorite to win the title (which would take her to the No.1 rankin), and she has done nothing to dissuade in her first three matches. The Spaniard has dropped just nine games and has dropped a game or less in four of six sets through three matches.
“I’m playing every match like it’s a final,” she told Andrew Krazny in her post-match interview.
Her next match will feel like a final. The Spaniard will square off with No.13-seeded Petra Kvitova for a spot in the quarterfinals on Monday. The pair have met three times and Kvitova has won twice. They have split their two meetings on hard court, and the two-time major champions will lock horns for the first time at a major.