(New York) Caroline Wozniacki continues to have success in her return to the game. The 33-year-old Dane won 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 on Friday against fellow American Jennifer Brady. back in action after a long absence.
Wozniacki raised his fist in the sky and looked down the stands at his spouse after earning his ticket to the round of 16 at the U.S. Open, only his third tournament since his turn after a three-and-a-half-year absence .
“It’s a dream come true to play here at Arthur Ashe Stadium and to have this support,” Wozniacki said in his on-field interview after his win. It is a great honour. »
Wozniacki will face sixth-seeded American Coco Gauff, who beat Belgium’s Elise Mertens 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, in the next round. Until then, she plans to enjoy some time with her 2-year-old daughter, Olivia, and 10-month-old son, James.
The former No. 1 in the world and 2018 Australian Open champion left the world of tennis in 2020 to start a family. She took advantage of an invitation from the organizers to access the main draw in New York and she believes she has the tools to extend her journey.
In the evening, the fourth seed Elena Rybakina was eliminated from the tournament against Sorana Cirstea. Down 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4, Rybakina is the top seed to be knocked out so far.
Cirstea, seeded 30, advanced to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first of her career. Rybakina wanted to reach the round of 16 at this tournament for the first time.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion had had some good results on hard courts this year and was hoping to continue that momentum as she made the Australian Open final. Rybakina also won the Indian Wells tournament, before being a runner-up in Miami in the days that followed.
Rybakina had taken advantage of the abandonment of Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round, she who forfeited with a knee injury. Rybakina, however, was not at the top of her game in her first game since Monday, having committed 56 unforced errors. She was also broken six times.
Cirstea will face 15th seed Belinda Bencic on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Iga Swiatek was merciless past Kaja Juvan, beating the Slovenian from qualifying 6-0, 6-1 in just 49 minutes. The world No. 1 has thus reached the fourth round of the United States Open.
Swiatek, also defending champion in New York, has lost just nine games since the start of the tournament. The Pole has won 19 sets to nil this season.
“I didn’t like having to beat my best friend,” Swiatek said in an on-court interview after her match. It was like playing against my sister. I don’t have many friends, but she is my best friend. »
In the next round, Swiatek will face Latvian and 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion. Ostapenko defeated American Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
American and 10th seed Frances Tiafoe advanced to the third round with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(6) win over No. 22 Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. last, Tiafoe had beaten Rafael Nadal, on the way to the semi-finals.
Tiafoe, 25, admitted all of his preparation this season was in preparation for the US Open.
“The rest of the summer didn’t matter to me. It’s this tournament that really matters,” Tiafoe said.
Fellow countryman and 14th seed Tommy Paul reached the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in his career with a 6-1, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 victory over the Spaniard and 21st seed serial Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Paul ended the encounter by hitting an ace 15th.
“I think I served well and did well coming up to the net. I also managed to use the whole court,” said Paul, who reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Paul will now face 20-year-old American Ben Shelton, who defeated Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0.
American Taylor Fritz, No. 9, joined his compatriots in the fourth round early in the evening. He defeated Czech qualifier Jakub Mensik 6-1, 6-2, 6-0.
A fifth American could reach the fourth round on Saturday, when Michael Mmoh plays Britain’s Jack Draper.
“They are a talented group and have always done well within their age group. We all played in important matches in the lower tiers. Now we find ourselves back in the top flight,” mentioned Tiafoe, who will face Australian Rinky Hijikata in the next round.
“When you see guys you’ve been around for a long time being successful, it also makes you believe in them. It can create a domino effect,” he added.
Meanwhile, No.10 Karolina Muchova beat American Taylor Townsend 7-6(0), 6-3 in another third-round match.
Muchova, who reached the final at the French Open this year, matched her career-best result at Flushing Meadows by unsettling her rival with numerous serve and volley combinations. Townsend committed 39 unforced errors.
Finalist in Cincinnati in August, Muchova will face in the fourth round China’s Xinyu Wang, who beat Slovakia’s Karolina Schmiedlova 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
In the evening, No. 2 Novak Djokovic came from behind to win 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 against fellow Serbian Laslo Djere, No. 32. Djokovic is chasing a 24th major title.
A loss at this stage of the tournament would have been Djokovic’s earliest in New York since 2006.
The match lasted over three hours and 30 minutes and ended shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Saturday night.
It was an eighth victory for Djokovic when he lost the first two sets of a major tournament match. He also improved his game record having gone to the limit at 38-11.
