Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe recorded comfortable victories on Day 3 of the US Open to set up a mouthwatering third-round match-up on Friday.
Shelton needed just two hours and eight minutes to beat Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets on Louis Armstrong, while Tiafoe was up two sets and a break when his opponent Alexander Shevchenko retired with a knee injury.
It was a largely positive day for American interests at the US Open, with Madison Keys recording a comfortable straight sets victory against Australian qualifier Maya Joint and Emma Navarro easing to a 6-1. 6-1 victory against Arantxa Rus.
Reigning champion Coco Gauff also disposed of Germany’s Tatjana Maria in the night session on Arthur Ashe to set up a third-round match-up against Elina Svitolina. Peyton Stearns also reached the last 32 of the women’s draw with a straight-sets victory over 12th seed Daria Kasatkina.
Taylor Fritz made it three American players in the last 32 of the men’s draw with a hard-fought win over Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, but there was to be no fairytale for 30-year-old American qualifier Mitchell Krueger, who lost in five thrilling sets against 32 seed Jiri Lehecka after racing into a two-seat lead. Krueger had won just one grand slam singles match in his career before the 2024 US Open.
There was also to be no fairytale for 16-year-old American wild card Iva Jovic, who took the opening set against Ekaterina Alexandrova but eventually went down to a 6-4, 4-6, 5-7 defeat. Competing in her first grand slam, Jovic acquitted herself admirably against her experienced opponent, saving six match points before eventually succumbing after more than three hours on the court.
Reigning men’s champion Novak Djokovic prevailed in an all-Serbian affair on Ashe on Wednesday night, beating compatriot Laslo Djere after Djere retired due to injury midway through the third set. Djere took Djokovic to five seats in the US Open third round last year and caused plenty of problems for Djokovic but lost crucial points at crucial times and trailed by two sets to love when he was forced to retire.
Djokovic will face off against Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round – the third time he has faced off against the Australian in a grand slam in 2024 after recording four-set victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
World Number 4 Alexander Zverev, who is due to meet Djokovic in the semi-finals, also enjoyed a comfortable second-round encounter, beating French wild card Alexandre Muller 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-1 on Louis Armstrong to set up a third-round match against Tomás Martín Etcheverry.
Sixth seed Andrey Rublev came from two sets down against France’s Arthur Rinderknech to set up a third-round clash with 32 seed Jiri Lehecka, who also came from two sets down against American qualifier Mitchell Krueger in a thrilling encounter on Court 5.
Meanwhile, Number 8 seed Casper Ruud overcame fan-favorite Gael Monfils in four sets in a rain-delayed match-up on the Grand Stand, while Number 9 seed Grigor Dimitrov recorded a comfortable 6-1, 6-1, 7-6(4) victory against Rinky Hijikata early on Wednesday.
In the women’s draw, Olympic champion and seventh seed Qinwen Zheng again recovered from losing the opening set, beating Erika Andreeva 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-2.
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova bowed out, however, going down in straight sets against Romanian qualifier Elene-Gabriela Ruse.
