NEW YORK (Reuters) – Defending champion Naomi Osaka and third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas became high-profile casualties in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday as two 18-year-olds announced themselves on the big stage by advancing to the last-16 for the first time.
Two-time champion Osaka’s title defence ended in tears as she suffered a stunning 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4 loss to Canadian Leylah Fernandez and the Japanese said she planned to take a break from the sport.
“I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match,” she said. “I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while.”
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the heir apparent to Rafa Nadal, upset Tsitsipas 6-3 4-6 7-6 (2) 0-6 7-6 (5) to move into the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
“This victory means a lot to me. It’s the best match, the best win of my career,” said Alcaraz, who was not distracted by another infamous bathroom break from the Greek who was jeered by the crowd.
Second seeds Daniil Medvedev and Aryna Sabalenka advanced with straight set victories in their third round matches while German Angelique Kerber beat Sloane Stephens 5-7 6-2 6-3 in the battle of the former champions.
The first match of the day had Romania’s twice Grand Slam winner Simona Halep outlasting Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 7-6(11) 4-6 6-3 where the opening set tiebreak lasted 18 minutes.
The final match of the night was another upset when American Frances Tiafoe shocked Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-3 7-6(6) 4-6 6-1 in an encounter that finished at 2:15 a.m.
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At the U.S. Open, that voice yelling ‘Out!’ comes from a computer
U.S. Open order of play on Saturday
Highlights of the fifth day at the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, at Flushing Meadows on Friday (times in GMT):
0615 TIAFOE UPSETS RUBLEV
American Frances Tiafoe upset fifth seed Andrey Rublev 4-6 6-3 7-6(6) 4-6 6-1 to move into the fourth round.
0515 SABALENKA OUTCLASSES COLLINS TO SET UP MERTENS CLASH
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka moved into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-3 victory over American Danielle Collins to set up a fourth round clash with doubles partner Elise Mertens.
0320 AUGER-ALIASSIME STRETCHED TO FIVE BY BAUTISTA AGUT
Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3, firing 27 aces and 76 winners past the Spaniard who stayed in the contest thanks to 74 unforced errors from the Canadian.
He was joined in the next round by Argentine 11th seed Diego Schwartzman, who breezed past Alex Molcan 6-4 6-3 6-3, and Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp who overcame Facundo Bagnis 3-6 6-0 6-2 6-2.
0310 OSAKA TO TAKE A BREAK FROM TENNIS
After her third round loss, Naomi Osaka said she felt more relief than happiness when she wins and gets “very sad” when she loses, adding she was not sure when she would play again.
“Basically, I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match. I think I’m going to take a break from playing for a while,” Osaka said.
0203 DEFENDING CHAMPION OSAKA CRASHES OUT
Canadian 18-year-old Leylah Fernandez upset defending champion Naomi Osaka 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium to march into the fourth round.
Earlier, Elise Mertens beat Ons Jabeur 6-3 7-5 in the third round.
2258 ALCARAZ KNOCKS OUT TSITSIPAS
Spanish 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz stunned Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 4-6 7-6(2) 0-6 7-6(5) to become the youngest men’s player to reach the U.S. Open fourth round since Michael Chang (17) and Pete Sampras (18) in 1989.
He next meets Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk who beat Henri Laaksonen 3-6 6-3 6-1 6-4.
2211 KERBER COMES FROM BEHIND TO BEAT STEPHENS
Former champion Angelique Kerber made a slow start before battling past 2017 winner Sloane Stephens 5-7 6-2 6-3. Earlier, Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina strolled into the next round with a 6-4 6-2 win over Daria Kasatkina.
2111 EVANS OUTLASTS POPYRIN
Briton Dan Evans, the 24th seed, clawed his way back from two sets down to beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 4-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(1) and set up a fourth-round meeting with Daniil Medvedev.
1951 MEDVEDEV ADVANCES IN STYLE
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev, the 2019 runner-up, handed Spain’s Pablo Andujar a bagel en route to a dominant 6-0 6-4 6-3 victory to reach the fourth round.
1834 MUGURUZA DOWNS BATTLING AZARENKA
Ninth seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain was made to work hard for a 6-4 3-6 6-2 victory over three-times finalist Victoria Azarenka in a battle between former Grand Slam champions.
In the fourth round, she will take on French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova who eased past Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4 6-2.
1737 HALEP QUELLS RYBAKINA CHALLENGE
Simona Halep, the 12th seed, edged a tight first set and surrendered the second before finding her groove to beat big-serving Kazakh Elena Rybakina 7-6(11) 4-6 6-3.
1505 PLAY UNDERWAY
Play got underway at Flushing Meadows where 12th seed Simona Halep is up against Kazakhstan’s big-serving Elena Rybakina. Defending champion Naomi Osaka takes on Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the evening session on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Men’s third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas faces Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz later in the day session, while second seed Daniil Medvedev takes on another Spaniard, Pablo Andujar.
(Compiled by Rohith Nair and Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis and Christian Radnedge)
