Barbora Krejcikova, of the Czech Republic, returns a shot to Elena-Gabriela Ruse, of Romania, through the second spherical of the U.S. Open tennis championships, on August 28, 2024, in New York
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Frances Tiafoe is getting the rematch he needs, a second shot at Ben Shelton on the U.S. Open. However there will not be a second straight Grand Slam title for Barbora Krejcikova.
The Wimbledon champion was knocked out of the U.S. Open within the second spherical on Wednesday, defeated by Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-4, 7-5.
The No. 8-seeded Krejcikova received her second Grand Slam singles title this summer season, however then she did not play any matches after the Paris Olympics. She acknowledged final week not realizing the place her degree of play was. Seems, it wasn’t ok.
“I imply, successful Wimbledon is wonderful. It’s an awesome, nice, nice end result, I’m very proud about it and the way I used to be in a position to deal with all the pieces there,” mentioned Krejcikova, who hadn’t performed a event on onerous courts since February.
“I believe I used to be enjoying fairly nicely, positively higher than within the first match. I believe my recreation was enhancing, however it simply wasn’t sufficient.”
No lady has received Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the identical 12 months since Serena Williams in 2012.
Hottest day
Tiafoe had quick work on the steamiest day of the event to this point, with temperatures in New York surpassing 90 levels Fahrenheit (32 levels Celsius). Three males’s matches ended when an opponent stopped enjoying, the final one sending defending champion Novak Djokovic to the third spherical when Laslo Djere retired early within the third set with what gave the impression to be ache close to his hip after they performed for greater than two hours throughout the primary two units.
“You already know, ultimately, not the sort of end that we gamers or crowd needs to see, however I believe it’s in all probability on account of that bodily battle that we had within the opening two units,” the No. 2-seeded Djokovic mentioned.
Tiafoe, the No. 20 seed, received the primary two units earlier than his opponent, Alexander Shevchenko, retired after the primary recreation of the third set.
Shelton, the No. 13 seed, later beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. He ousted Tiafoe final 12 months within the quarterfinals, stopping Tiafoe from what would have been a second straight journey to the U.S. Open semifinals.
“Clearly he’s very very similar to me in how excited and energetic he’s on the courtroom,” Tiafoe mentioned, “and has such an enormous recreation and massive pictures and serves massive and will get the gang going.”
Nicely, perhaps not fairly in addition to Tiafoe does.
“I do know that the folks love him right here. Most likely greater than me. He’s electrical right here, and his crowds are electrical right here,” the 21-year-old Shelton mentioned.
“Will probably be a battle. Will probably be a battle identical to the final two occasions we’ve performed. Yeah, I’m greater than excited to be on the market with him once more.”
They have been two of the 4 American males to achieve the third spherical within the backside half of the draw. No. 12 Taylor Fritz received there by beating Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-1, whereas Brandon Nakashima beat Arthur Cazaux and can subsequent play No. 18 Lozenzo Musetti, the bronze medalist on the Olympics.
Defending champion Coco Gauff marched into the third spherical on the ladies’s aspect with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Tatjana Maria. The No. 3 seed will subsequent face No. 27 seed Elina Svitolina.
Ruse, a 26-year-old from Romania, superior to the third spherical of a Grand Slam for the primary time and can play No. 26 seed Paula Badosa, who eradicated American Taylor Townsend 6-3, 7-5.
Jiri Lehecka ignored the warmth to engineer the largest comeback of his profession, rallying to beat Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (5), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a match that completed a minute shy of 4 hours. Lehecka, the No. 32 seed, not solely got here from two units down for the primary time in his profession, however he was even down 3-0 within the third set towards the American qualifier.
“I sort of dug again into the match with an enormous combat, after which the fourth set and fifth set was only a battle and we have been each preventing for each level,” Lehecka mentioned.
He’ll face No. 6 seed Andrey Rublev, who additionally got here from two units all the way down to outlast Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Previous U.S. Open finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev each received their matches in straight units, whereas Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, the No. 7 seed, rallied handed Erika Andreeva in three units. However No. 12 Daria Kasatkina was upset by American Peyton Stearns, who will subsequent face No. 24 seed and Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic.
One other girls’s third-round match will see No. 14 seed Madison Keys towards No. 33 Elise Mertens. Keys, the 2017 runner-up in Flushing Meadows, rolled previous Maya Joint 6-4, 6-0, whereas Mertens knocked out Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-2.
