No.5 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia pulled off another close call at this year’s US Open, staging a third-set comeback to hold off rising Czech teenager Linda Noskova 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3 in a gripping second-round encounter. 

Last year’s US Open finalist Jabeur had survived two tight sets against Camila Osorio in the first round, and she was pushed even further by 18-year-old Noskova on Thursday night.

US Open 2023: Draw | Order of play | Scores | 411

Jabeur was down a break at 3-2 in the third set, but she won the next four games in succession, prevailing after 2 hours and 8 minutes of play on the Grandstand court.

"I think it was a great match for both of us," Jabeur said in her post-match press conference. "I do respect [Noskova] a lot. I think she's the future in tennis, for sure. It was nice to get the win, even though it was very difficult, especially the second set, for me."

Rivalry leveled: Noskova, currently sitting at a career-high ranking of No.41, had previously defeated Jabeur to reach her first WTA final at Adelaide this January, which is the only Top 5 win of the Czech’s nascent career.

This time around, Jabeur successfully got through another tussle between the players, denying Noskova a second Top 5 win. The Tunisian leveled their rivalry at one win apiece, as she battled into the US Open third round for the fifth consecutive year.

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With the victory, Jabeur has won 13 Grand Slam matches so far in 2023, which is the most Grand Slam matches she has won in a single year. The total surpasses her 12 Grand Slam match-wins from last year, when she reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals but lost in the first round at Roland Garros and missed the Australian Open.

Match breakdown: Jabeur eked out a 55-minute first set in the tiebreak, converting her third set point with a forehand winner. However, Noskova stormed to a 5-1 lead in the second set, then quashed a late Jabeur fightback to tie up the match at one set apiece. 

In the decider, Jabeur fell behind a break at 3-2 but quickly regrouped, sending a forehand past Noskova to level at 3-3. Jabeur broke serve again with a backhand winner to lead 5-3, and the Tunisian gritted through a tough hold to close out the victory, converting her fourth match point.

Jabeur finished the clash with 17 more winners and only five more unforced errors than Noskova. Each player had four breaks of serve in the match.

Next up: Jabeur will have to face another Czech in Saturday’s third round -- No.31 seed Marie Bouzkova, who breezed past Petra Martic 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday.

In their lone previous meeting, Jabeur came back from a set down to beat Bouzkova in last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals. Jabeur made her first Grand Slam final in London later that week.

"I have a lot of respect for Czech tennis school, in general," Jabeur said. "They really, really have amazing players. Another test [against] Marie. She's amazing, too. It's going to be tough playing her, but I'm going to get ready and hopefully prepare well for the match."