It was a blended bag for American tennis on the U.S. Open on Friday, as a number of top-ranked gamers had been eradicated, whereas others moved on.
On the ladies’s facet, 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 lads’s facet, World No. 6 Ben Shelton (medical retirement) and No. 17 Frances Tiafoe had been ousted, however No. 4 Taylor Fritz took care of enterprise in opposition to Switzerland’s Jerome Kym within the third spherical.
Of all the outcomes, Navarro and Shelton’s exits had 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 house main, particularly after reaching the quarterfinals on the Australian Open and successful a WTA-500 title on the arduous 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 arduous 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 harm that pressured him to retire after 4 units in opposition to unseeded Adrian Mannarino, shattering his goals.
On the intense facet, World No. 143 Townsend pulled off a stunning upset in opposition to No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, an opponent she had by no means overwhelmed 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 end result no person 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 in opposition to unseeded Jaqueline Cristian. Paul, who survived Nuno Borges in an exciting five-setter within the earlier spherical, may have his palms full in opposition to World No. 23 Alexander Bublik.
