It was a blended bag for American tennis on the U.S. Open on Friday, as a number of top-ranked gamers have been eradicated, whereas others moved on.
On the ladies’s aspect, World No. 11 Emma Navarro was despatched packing, however No. 4 Jessica Pegula, Taylor Townsend and Ann Li all prevailed of their third-round matches.
On the boys’s aspect, World No. 6 Ben Shelton (medical retirement) and No. 17 Frances Tiafoe have been ousted, however No. 4 Taylor Fritz took care of enterprise towards Switzerland’s Jerome Kym within the third spherical.
Of all the outcomes, Navarro and Shelton’s exits have been the least anticipated. Navarro, who reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows final 12 months, was primed to make one other deep run at her residence main, particularly after reaching the quarterfinals on the Australian Open and successful a WTA-500 title on the laborious courts of Mexico earlier this 12 months.
Shelton’s exit was simply as upsetting for American tennis. The sixth seed was within the type of his life heading into Friday’s match, having gone 14-2 on laborious courts this 12 months, together with successful his first ATP-1000 title in Toronto. Many believed the southpaw may replicate his semifinal run from the 2023 U.S. Open and inch nearer to his first main title. Alas, he sustained a shoulder damage that pressured him to retire after 4 units towards unseeded Adrian Mannarino, shattering his desires.
On the brilliant aspect, World No. 143 Townsend pulled off a surprising upset towards No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, an opponent she had by no means crushed earlier than. Townsend was coming off an emotional second-round win over Jelena Ostapenko, which was marred by a controversy that seemingly motivated the American to push herself additional. A doubles specialist, Townsend on Friday reached the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time for the reason that 2019 U.S. Open, an final result no one predicted.
On Saturday, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Tommy Paul can strengthen the American contingent within the spherical of 16 by successful their respective third-round matches. Whereas Gauff will face No. 28 Magdalena Frech, Anisimova will go up towards unseeded Jaqueline Cristian. Paul, who survived Nuno Borges in an exhilarating five-setter within the earlier spherical, may have his fingers full towards World No. 23 Alexander Bublik.
