It was another action-packed day at the US Open on Thursday with four British players making it through to the third round, although Andy Murray was unable to join them. The former world No 1 was outclassed by Grigor Dimitrov to bring an end to his tournament.
Murray headed into the match filled with confidence about where his game was at, insisting he was playing at a similar level to 2017 where he was used to deep tournament runs. That has now become a huge hurdle for the British tennis superstar to overcome and something he’ll now have to wait until the 2024 Australian Open to try and change.
It was a different story for Katie Boulter, Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Cam Norrie. Evans has now set up a tantalising third-round tie with No 1 seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Draper pulled off an upset in beating No 17 seed Hubert Hurkacz while Boulter and Norrie comfortably progressed with wins over Wang Yafan and Hsu Yu-hsiou respectively. The third round matches get underway today with a few seeded players now meeting one another.
Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive tennis news
Shelton reacts to Paul upset and record-breaking serves
Ben Shelton stunned 14th seed Tommy Paul to advance to his maiden US Open quarter-final on Sunday.
During his 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory, the world No 47 also broke his own record for the fastest serve of this year’s tournament.
In the previous round, he clocked up a 147mph ace. And while serving at 3-1 in the third set against Paul he twice hit a serve at 149mph.
“It’s different. Being at home in front of an American crowd, I’ve felt the love all week playing against foreigners,” Shelton said after the win. “I played against another American today, we had a great battle, the crowd was pretty split but thank you for coming out. Unbelievable atmosphere.”
Reacting to his booming serves, he added: “I think [it was] straight adrenaline. Any other atmosphere I couldn’t get it done, I think my arm would fall off.”
Alcaraz skips training ahead of Arnaldi clash
Carlos Alcaraz decided to take a rest day ahead of his round-of-16 match against Matteo Arnaldi.
According to Marca, the world No 1 decided not to train on Sunday and will instead be sightseeing in New York with his family.
It’s a tactic the Spaniard has used before – including ahead of the Wimbledon final where he stunned Novak Djokovic in five sets to lift the title.
Read the full story HERE.
Shelton breaks his own record for fastest serve – twice
Ben Shelton held the record for the fastest serve of the US Open with a 147mph ace in his third-round match against Aslan Karatsev on Friday.
And the American broke his own record while serving at 3-1 in the third set against Tommy Paul on Sunday.
In a game that was a serving masterclass, Shelton’s second point was a 149mph ace – breaking his own tournament record. He received applause from his opponent.
And the 20-year-old hit another 149mph ace just moments later to close out that game and lead 4-1.
Tommy Paul superfan rejects personal invitation to player box
Tommy Paul has been making waves at the US Open this year, reaching the second week of his home Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
But it’s one of his young fans that has really stolen the show in Flushing Meadows after cheering him on to a five-set comeback defeat in the second round.
Eddy, a young fan from Brooklyn, shouted words of encouragement to Paul as he found himself in trouble against Roman Safiullin. And it worked, with the 14th seed going on to gift his fan a t-shirt while hooking him up with tickets to his next match.
But it turns out that the young spectator found himself some even better seats, rejecting Paul’s offer. “We got him tickets in my box but he found better tickets and was right there courtside screaming for me,” the American told Sky Sports.
Read the full story HERE.
Tennis officials under pressure as stars miss US Open with injury
Several top players were forced to miss the US Open this year due to injuries – including former champions Rafael Nadal and Emma Raducanu, who both had surgery earlier this year.
With an increase in physical issues among tennis players, Vasek Pospisil slammed the ATP and WTA for trying to slow down the game with heavier tennis balls.
“The balls have been getting incrementally heavier and surprise surprise, it’s killing our bodies. Almost every player I’ve spoken to feels the same way. I’ve never seen more wrist, elbow, and shoulder injuries in the locker room,” he tweeted.
And two retired players backed the Canadian up, revealing that they had been left with long-term injuries because of the heavy tennis balls.
Read the full story HERE.
Wozniacki counting on Serena Williams support ahead of Gauff battle
Caroline Wozniacki will continue her dream comeback run at the US Open on Sunday.
The former world No 1 retired at the 2020 Australian Open but decided to return to tennis last month.
Playing in her first Grand Slam event since retiring, she is back into the second week and has a tough test in home hero Coco Gauff.
But Wozniacki knows she can count on good friend and six-time US Open winner Serena Williams, who has been following her matches from home.
“Yeah, I talk to her all the time. She’s obviously busy now, as well. But we talk all the time. She watched my match today,” Wozniacki said after her third round win.
ICYMI: Squirrel interrupts game
A mischievous squirrel interrupted a brilliant doubles match last night after running onto the court during a point.
The commentators jokingly questioned whether the furry intruder had a match ticket before it shot off through the crowd.
Gauff raises US Open fear against ‘legend’
Coco Gauff shared her excitement about facing Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open in what is the Dane’s first Grand Slam tournament since leaving retirement. But the 19-year-old was also aware that the former world No 1 would know her game very well after spending years watching her from the sidelines. And Wozniacki will be able to count on the support of her good friend Serena Williams, who has been cheering the 33-year-old on from home.
Singles schedule today
MEN’S
Tommy Paul vs Ben Shelton 5pm
Rinky Hijikata vs Frances Tiafoe 8pm
Dominic Stephan Stricker vs Taylor Fritz 10pm
WOMEN’S
Karolina Muchova vs Wang Xinyu 4pm
Sorana Cirstea vs Belinda Bencic 5.15pm
Caroline Wozniacki vs Coco Gauff 7pm
Carota boys arrive
It wouldn’t be a Grand Slam without Jannik Sinner’s famous fan groud ‘The Carota Boys’!
Boulter sends message to last Brit standing
Katie Boulter has told the last Brit standing the US Open to ‘keep flying that flag’ following her exit.
Medvedev worried for fan’s wife
Daniil Medvedev hilariously expressed his concerns for the wife of a particularly pumped-up US Open fan after his victory over Sebastian Baez.
Speaking after the match, Medvedev joked that the fan was so loud that his wife will unlikely be able to sleep later, drawing laughter from the interviewer and crowd.
Good morning, early risers!
And welcome back for Day 7 of the US Open but first, let’s do a little recap for you as it was another tough day for our British contingent last night with Cam Norrie, Dan Evans and Katie Boulter all crashing out. Jack Draper, who had been an injury concern heading into the tournament, is now the last Brit standing.
Zverev turns it around
The German is through to the Round of 16, taking the fourth set 6-1 against Dimitrov. In the end, the final two sets were light work for Zverev.
He takes on Jannik Sinner on Monday.
Back on Arthur Ashe, Daniil Medvedev has wasted no time in his match against Sebastian Baez. The Russian took the first 6-2 and is a break to the good in the second.
Jabeur through, Zverev rallies back
Fifth seed Jabeur has fought back from a set down to beat Bouzkova and reach the Round of 16. The Tunisian won her encounter 5-7, 7-6, 6-3.
She faces Qinwen Zhang on Monday.
Meanwhile Zverev has indeed rallied back from his first set loss and a break down in the second. He won the second 7-6 (10-8) and breezed through the third 6-1.
He currently leads the fourth set 3-0 and looks all but set to play on at the US Open
Boulter crashes out
Brit Boulter is out of the US Open with a 4-6, 3-6 defeat to Stearns.
Elsewhere, fifth seed Jabeur is a set down to Bouzkova but a break up in the second.
Dimitrov, who dumped Andy Murray out of the competition, is within a fine shout of doing the same to Zverev.
Winning the first set 7-6, he is also a break up in the second. The German has it all to do.
The evening games are underway
Ons Jabeur and Marie Bouzkova have kicked off their match on Arthur Ashe, with the latter taking a 4-1 lead in the first.
Alexander Zverev had an early break over Grigor Dimitrov in the first set but the Bulgarian has since cancelled that out.
Elsewhere, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula clinched the first set in their women’s doubles match. And Brit Katie Boulter is a break down in the first set in her match against Peyton Stearns.
Alcaraz predicted Djokovic comeback before going to sleep
Novak Djokovic found himself in trouble on Friday night when he went two sets down to compatriot Laslo Djere in the third round.
He managed to mount a comeback and won 4-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-3 in a three-hour-and-45-minute match.
Carlos Alcaraz has now revealed that he went to sleep after the first two sets – but he was never in doubt that Djokovic would find a way to win.
“Well, I watched the first two sets, then I had to go to sleep,” the world No 1 said. “But, you know, when I go to bed, I was thinking Novak is going to come back, that’s for sure.”
Read the full story HERE.
Openly gay players make history at US Open
Daria Kasatkina and Greet Minnen contested a historic clash at the US Open on Saturday.
When the pair faced off in the third round, it marked the first Grand Slam match between two openly gay players.
Despite losing in straight sets, Minnen later said it was a “pleasure” to face the world No 14 in the significant clash.
Read the full story HERE.
Draper avoids ‘Groundhog Day’ a year after US Open heartbreak
Jack Draper reached the second week at a Grand Slam for the first time in his young career with a four-set victory over Michael Mmoh.
And it came a year after he attempted to do the same thing at the 2022 US Open. Last year, Draper reached the third round after upsetting Felix Auger-Aliassime but was forced to retire injured against Karen Khachanov.
Fast-forward to 2023, Draper came into round three after pulling off another upset – this time against Hubert Hurkacz. And he was able to reverse his fortune, winning a four-set match for the first time to record his best-ever Grand Slam result.
“I was thinking that on the court today, you know, it’s like ‘Groundhog Day’ out there,” Draper said of last year’s woes compared to this year’s glory.
“I think it was exactly one year on. Last year I was playing Khachanov, and I felt like when I was playing him I was so tired. You know, I was sort of carrying a bit of an injury. You know, I’m so proud of the work that I’ve put in the last year.
“Even though I haven’t been able to compete too much, you know, I generally think I’m a much better player and better all-around athlete, as well. To come here a year on, despite maybe my ranking having dropped a fair bit because of the injuries and not being able to be on the same confidence level that I was last year, you know, I’m incredibly proud of that and hopefully I can keep going this week.”
Alcaraz shows respect for Evans after beating Brit
Carlos Alcaraz survived a test from Dan Evans as he dropped a set before coming through 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3 to reach the second week of the US Open.
Both men were seen laughing and smiling in disbelief at some of the shots they hit, as the Spaniard fired down 61 winners and Evans his 28.
After the match, Alcaraz paid tribute to his opponent and said Evans’ game reminded him of his own. “He’s a tricky opponent, as you said. He always wants to go to the net, great slices, good touch. I think this is my game as well so it’s a pretty good match,” the two-time Major winner said in his on-court interview.
“I think when we play each other it’s a show on the court, I think people love that as well.
“We made great points, great shots, a lot of different kind of situations probably than the other matches. But really, really happy to get through and be able to play a fourth round in the US Open.”
Read the full story HERE.
Draper emotional after reaching second week
Jack Draper completed a career milestone on Saturday, reaching the second week of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his young career.
The British No 7 downed Michael Mmoh 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 at the US Open to advance to the fourth round.
It marks just his third tournament since tearing a tendon in his shoulder at the French Open in May.
“I am incredibly proud of myself,” he said after the win. “It has been a tough year. That is what the celebration was for.
“Last year was really difficult. I was in the third round against Khachanov on this court and I injured myself so I didn’t want that to happen again. That is why I am so proud of myself. It was quite a long match and to come through after a tough year for me, I am very happy.
“I am a little bit sore. It has been a long match. To win my first four-set match in a Grand Slam is really positive for me. Hopefully I can carry on. I didn’t think I played that well but it is important to win when you are not playing your best.”
Read the full story HERE.
Alcaraz sent private texts to Draper during injury woes
Laura Robson revealed that Carlos Alcaraz reached out to Jack Draper during one of the Brit’s many injury setbacks this year.
The pair faced off in Indian Wells but Draper retired from the match with an abdominal injury he had picked up in the round before. He then withdrew from the Miami Open the following week.
And it has emerged that the world No 1 reached out to the 21-year-old to offer him some support during the tough times.
“He was getting texts from Carlos saying, ‘Let me know if you need anything. Reach out if you want to have a chat about how you’re feeling, about having so many injuries on and off,'” Robson said on Sky Sports.
Draper returned from the ab injury a month later in Monte Carlo. But just a few weeks later he injured his shoulder at the French Open and was sidelined for two months.
The Brit returned last month at the Winnipeg Challenger and made the quarter-final. But at last week’s Winston-Salem Open, he retired from his second-round match.
Draper has since enjoyed a successful return to the US Open, upsetting 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz in the second round.
Read the full story HERE.
Weed smells causing chaos
Maria Sakkari made waves at the start of the tournament when she complained that she could smell cannabis from a nearby park while playing on Court 17.
And Jelena Ostapenko said the same after defeating Bernarda Pera on the same court on Friday night. The Latvian also played her second-round match on the same stage and said it was a normal occurrence.
“With the weed, it’s a normal thing. Every match I smell it. It’s not a surprise they were complaining about [it],” she said.
Evans’ team kicks rogue spectator out of player box during Alcaraz clash
Dan Evans and his team were forced to take action when a rogue spectator sat down in the Brit’s player box as he was facing Carlos Alcaraz in the third round.
While trailing 1-4 in the first set, the British No 2 approached the umpire to inform him that a man sitting in his box wasn’t part of his team and wasn’t meant to be there.
Evans’ coaching camp could then be seen telling the spectator to leave, as the man in question sat a few rows behind instead.
Read the full story HERE.
Djokovic rival goes on ‘boring’ rant
Novak Djokovic will take on Borna Gojo in the fourth round on Sunday. The Croat came through qualifying and is now through to the second week of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career.
And Gojo has been suggesting ways to stop tennis from being “boring”. A former college tennis player, the world No 105 wanted to see some more confrontation in the sport after recalling a “fight” from his days at Wake Forest.
Read the full story HERE.
Alcaraz rates Evans’ golf skills before US Open clash
British No 2 Dan Evans will face Carlos Alcaraz in the first match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The world No 1 leads their head-to-head by two wins to zero losses. But Alcaraz conceded that Evans was the better golfer of the two, as they got a round in ahead of Wimbledon this year.
“We played a few times. It’s really tough player. Good serve and volley, good net game. It’s going to be really tough. I will play my best. I will have to return very, very well if I want to win that match. Let’s see how it’s going to be,” he said of Evans’ tennis.
Turning his attention to golf, the top seed added: “Of course, his golf is much better than mine, that for sure. But, yeah, we could play a little bit before Wimbledon. We had such a great time at the course.”
Djokovic beaten by one of the shots of the tournament
Laslo Djere may have had his heart broken by Novak Djokovic but at least he will walk away from the US Open with the memory of hitting a stunning shot that was far too good even for his compatriot to get anywhere near it.
Gauff thinking about Beyonce
Coco Gauff admitted she was thinking about Beyonce DURING her US Open third-round victory.
Speaking after booking her spot in the next round, the home favourite said: “I was thinking about the Renaissance Tour during my match. I think about a lot of different things. Honestly, it keeps me relaxed. I don’t know if it’s a coping mechanism. I thought about Marvel and the Biebers.”
Djokovic sends message to rivals
Novak Djokovic feels coming back from two sets down to defeat Laslo Djere and reach the fourth round of the US Open sends a ‘strong message’ to his future opponents that he has no problems playing long into the night.
Djokovic hopes he doesn’t have to go through that again in the coming rounds as he bids to reach the US Open final for a 10th time. However, he acknowledges that his comeback victory at this stage of the tournament will send a message to those still in the draw.
Ostapenko kicks out fan
Jelena Ostapenko was cheered by the US Open crowd after appearing to throw out a fan during her third-round victory over Bernerda Pera.
The fan was believed to be supporting Pera and was caught on film walking out of the court after Ostapenko furiously waved her racket towards him, telling him to go.
Her antics was met with a roar from the crowd, with Ostapenko eventually going on to seal the victory in three sets.
Today’s US Open schedule
MEN’S
Michael Mmoh Vs Jack Draper 4pm
Carlos Alcaraz vs Dan Evans 5pm
Matteo Arnaldi vs Cameron Norrie 5.15pm
Arthur Rinderknech vs Andrey Rublev 6pm
Stan Wawrinka vs Jannik Sinner 6.30pm
Nicolas Jarry vs Alex de Minaur 10pm
WOMEN’S
Daria Kasatkina vs Greet Minnen 4pm
Clara Burel vs Aryna Sabalenka 4pm
Liudmila Samsonova vs Madison Keys 5.15pm
Qinwen Zheng vs Lucia Bronzetti 6.35pm
Elina Svitolina vs Jessica Pegula 7pm
Katie Boulter vs Peyton Stearns 11pm
UPSET ALERT
Elena Rybakina has been dumped out of the US Open after losing in three sets against Sorana Cirstea.
The Romanian defeated the fourth-seed 6-3 6-7 6-4.
Djokovic laughed at himself
Novak Djokovic admitted he laughed at himself and gave himself a pep talk in the mirror after leaving the court at two sets down against Laslo Djere.
Speaking after his incredible fightback, Djokovic said: “I’m not lying, I gave myself a little pep talk because I was so p****ed off and agitated and I needed to lift the spirit a little. I’ve done it before and it worked, not all the time but thankfully today it worked.”
Djokovic survives early scare to beat Djere
Novak Djokovic was almost dumped out of the US Open in the third round of the tournament by fellow countryman Laslo Djere if it were not for a spirited comeback.
Djere took the opening two sets 6-4,6-4 before Djokovic turned on the style won the final three 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
Djokovic in trouble
No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic is in some trouble against his countryman Laslo Djere. After losing the first set 6-4, he also drops the second by the same score. Through the first two rounds of the 2023 US Open, Djokovic did not lose a set and had lost a combined 11 games.
The last time Djokovic lost the first two sets in a Grand Slam was in the final of Wimbledon — when he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five.
The last time he lost the first two sets at the US Open was in the 2012 final against Andy Murray, who won in five.
Victories elsewhere in New York
Borno Gojo beat Jiri Veseley in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-2).
Belinda Bencic beat Zhu Lin in a thrilling three-set match. Bencic won 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 to progress to the Round of 16.
Upset on the cards?
Novak Djokovic has lost the opening set 6-4 to fellow Serbian Laslo Djere, and the crowd are sensing an upset.
Djere has outplayed Djokovic so far, someone he knows very well and considers a close friend.
Djokovic has been in this situation countless times before, but needs to improve fast.
Gauff stuns crowd again
Coco Gauff came back from being a set down to win for the ninth time in her majors career.
Gauff won 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 to progress to the Round of 16, where she will face Caroline Wozniacki.
Elise Mertens gave her all but the pressure was too much after losing the second set, and the crowd were completely against her as they backed the home favourite.
Coco bites back
Just when it looked like Coco Gauff may be nearing an exit from the US Open, she’s powered her way back in the second set to set up a decider.
After losing the opening set 6-3, she put the pressure on Elise Mertens to take the second by the exact same scoreline.
This third and final set could get interesting…
Fritz on FIRE
Taylor Fritz has sailed into the Round of 16 after thrashing Jakub Mensik 6-1, 6-2, 6-0.
Fritz got the job done inside 1 hour and 30 minutes, and is gaining serious momentum at the US Open.
The American admitted that he’s changed his approach to tennis recently, and it seems to be working.
“Just being super well rested and I think my mind just handles things better,” Fritz said. “I feel a lot less anxious, nervous, whatever and you know at the end of the day like it is tough.
“You have to care, but also it’s like you have to care and not care at the same time in order to really be free and play your best on the court.”
Mixed fortunes for American duo
Coco Gauff has lost her first set against Elise Mertens, and cried out in frustration as things aren’t going her way.
The veteran is taking advantage of Gauff’s aggressive style, and the home crowd are doing their best to lift the 19-year-old.
Taylor Fritz on the other hand is one set up, and looking comfortable against Jakub Mensik.
Fritz, Gauff underway
Two of the home favourites are underway as Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff have begun their matches.
Gauff takes on the experiences Elise Mertens, Fritz is facing a very different test against 18-year-old Jakub Mensik.
Wozniacki talking to Serena ‘all the time’
Caroline Wozniacki said she was still regularly speaking with good friend and former pro Serena Williams.
Williams famously returned from giving birth to her first daughter Olympia in 2017 and reached four Grand Slam finals, also returning to the top 10 before retiring last year.
Wozniacki has now followed in her friend’s footsteps. After retiring in January 2020, the Dane recently returned to competition three-and-a-half years and two kids later.
Playing in the first Grand Slam event of her comeback, the former world No 1 is now back in the second week of the US Open after beating Jennifer Brady 4-6 6-3 6-1.
And Wozniacki revealed that Williams had been watching along at home. “Yeah, I talk to her all the time. She’s obviously busy now, as well. But we talk all the time. She watched my match today,” she said.
12 months ago, a pregnant Wozniacki was at the US Open to cheer on her friend in what was Williams’ retirement tournament. Looking back on last year, the 33-year-old added: “But last year I was pregnant. I was heavily pregnant, I want to say – what, are we in September – I was eight months pregnant. I was just here to support my friend. Obviously I worked with ESPN. I was doing a lot of commentating and studio stuff.
“I really wanted to support her in her last tournament. That was something very special. I wasn’t really thinking about my own comeback at that point. I was trying to figure out how I’m going to handle two kids.
“It’s been cool that after James was born and I went on court, all of a sudden I go, Okay, well, let’s give it a try. Now we’re here, and that’s pretty special.”
American players thinking about US Open curse
Tommy Paul revealed that the Americans had become superstitious about a “curse” at their home Grand Slam tournament.
The 14th seed advanced to the second week of the US Open for the first time in his career, beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1 6-0 3-6 6-3. But Paul said he was thinking about the jinx when he served for the 6-0 second set.
“Well, this is going to sound funny. We have, like, a thing between most of the Americans where we think when people win a set 6-0 it’s, like, a curse that you always lose the next set,” the 26-year-old laughed.
While Paul did drop the set, he managed to close out the match in four. He will now face Ben Shelton in an all-American fourth-round match.
Read the full story HERE.
Thiem breaks silence after forfeit
Dominic Thiem has broken his silence after withdrawing from his US Open match against Ben Shelton. Thiem forfeited the game after doubling over in pain and gagging on court.
“It is never nice to not be able to finish a match, but this time it hurts even more because this tournament means so much to me.”At the beginning of next week, I have some medical tests in Austria and then I’ll know more.”But I’ll take the positive with me that I can play at a very high level again and that gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming tournaments.”Thank you all for the incredible support. Also, a big thank you to @1hotel.centralpark ; anyone coming to New York should check out this hotel. It’s really something special! See you soon.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dominic Thiem (@domithiem)
Swiatek through to round of 16
Defending champion Iga Swiatek beats Kaja Juvan 6-0, 6-1 in a dominant showing. She progresses to the round of 16 on Sunday.
Alcaraz bashes Rubiales’ behaviour
Carlos Alcaraz has weighed in on Luis Rubiales’s scandalous kiss during the women’s World Cup.
“I have followed the matter. Obviously, it is something that has caused a lot of talk, I think in Spain much more,’ Alcaraz said after his win over Dominik Koepfer at the US Open.
“My opinion is that it is not behaviour that should be shown by someone in a high position.
“That’s the only opinion that I am going to give on the matter and we hope it is resolved soon because the women’s team has achieved something historic and that they have not been given as much credit for what they’ve done, which is a shame.”
Gauff makes confident comparison with Djokovic and Alcaraz
Coco Gauff considers herself comparable athletically to the top two men’s singles seeds at the US Open, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and three-time winner Novak Djokovic. The World No. 6 made the comments after securing a straight sets victory over Mirra Andreeva to reach the third round.
“Somebody who I look up to a lot movement-wise is definitely Novak and definitely Carlos,” she said.
“I think they’re both people that are seating their fill when it comes to – well, obviously the tennis, but obviously physically and footwork-wise. It’s something I’m trying to work on.
“I do think I have the athleticism as them – not like the same as them – but compared to my field. So, I’m hoping I can continue to learn by watching them. I was watching Alcaraz last night.”
Evans vows to ‘play aggressively’ against Alcaraz
British No 2 Dan Evans has vowed to ‘play aggressively’ against Carlos Alcaraz in their third-round clash on Saturday.
Evans comes in as a massive underdog against the reigning champion but won’t let the occasion overwrought him.
“It will be a good match. I am really looking forward to it and I will play aggressively,” he said.
“It’s a very difficult draw. He will obviously be the overwhelming favourite but it’s a good opportunity to play a very good tennis player on a big stage. That is why you play tennis.”
Murray admits ‘deep runs’ may be over
Andy Murray admits that his days of making “deep runs” in grand slam tournaments may be over after tumbling out in the second round of the US Open at the hands of Grigor Dimitrov (6-3, 6-4, 6-1).
“Maybe I need to accept that [at] these events, the deep runs and everything that I felt like I’m capable of, they might not be there, as well,” he said after the match.
“I’m aware what I’m doing, it’s unbelievably challenging to play at the highest level as I am now. And some days it’s harder than others,” he added.
Murray up against the wrong opponent
Grand Slam icon Mats Wilander believes Andy Murray has no need to worry about his performance levels after being well beaten by Grigor Dimitrov at the US Open.
Murray lost in straight sets to the 32-year-old, who put in a stellar display to progress to the next round.
And Wilander feels Murray simply caught Dimitrov on the wrong day.
He said: “I think Andy Murray keeps playing and pushing and hopefully he won’t run into players who play like Grigor today. I’m wondering if when Grigor plays the young guys, it might be a bit more difficult as an athlete but today the game plan was spot on I think.”
Former Serena Williams coach sacked
Holger Rune has ended his partnership with former Serena Williams coach Patrick Mouratoglou following his shock exit at the US Open.
The player’s mother and manager, Aneke Rune, said: “This cooperation was originally conceived as temporary. But since there was success at the end of 2022, we continued to work in Australia. Unfortunately, we did not get the same success from the combination of Lars Christensen and Patrick. In the USA, already without Christensen, it didn’t work either.
“Now it is important for Holger to stabilize the situation in the team and find a line-up that will last for a long time, so that Holger can grow and develop his game. And in such a situation, the son decided that there was no place for Patrick in this team.”
Kyrgios mocks Djokovic quarter
Nick Kyrgios appears to have taken aim at the standard of tennis at this year’s US Open with a Taylor Fritz’s section featuring two qualifiers and a wildcard.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, Lorenzo Musetti, Christopher Eubanks and Alexei Popyrin have all suffered shock defeats, leaving Fritz with a clear path into the quarter-finals, where he could face Novak Djokovic.
Reacting to a screenshot of Fritz’s section, Kyrgios posted: “Who are some of these guys.”
Isner’s tearful farewell
It’s always a tough watch seeing a well-loved sports person bring their careers to an end and John Isner struggled to hold back the tears as he bid farewell at the US Open on Thursday.
He said: “Tennis has been a huge part of my life. It’s tough to say goodbye. Eventually this day would come.
“It’s hard to prepare for the emotions. Most importantly, I have an amazing life. I look forward to every second of that.”
It must be love
Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina’s relationship was on full display on Thursday when the latter asked about her husband’s match midway through her own contest.
The French tennis star joked about the situation in his post-match press conference, admitting he also asked about his wife’s score.
He said: “I haven’t seen it. For me, I asked. It was 5-3 for her in the 3rd set.
“I said to the umpire ‘be discreet’. We both like to know everything’s going good.”
Medvedev drama
Not only did Daniil Medvedev get into a shouting match with a section of the US Open crowd, the Russian also lost his temper at a camera person midway through the match.
Medvedev had just lost the third set with tempers clearly running high for the No 3 seed.
When he returned to his chair in between sets, a camera zoomed in on Medvedev who angrily shoved it away.
That same break saw Medvedev call for a doctor to the court, although he jokingly asked for the same treatment his opponent got earlier in the match with the pair eventually breaking into laughter.
Always fun and games with Medvedev in New York.
Alcaraz talks with Bellingham
Real Madrid fan Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that he regularly speaks to Jude Bellingham and has been impressed by the England international’s start to life at the Bernabeu.
Alcaraz and Bellingham are separated in age by just one month but the two sporting giants are at the top of their game in their respective
“I’m really happy to watch him play in Real Madrid. He’s such a great, talented player, one of the best in the world. I’m sure that he’s going to be the best player in the world in that position. I’m just really, really happy to have him in the team.
“I talk a little bit with him. He’s such a great person, as well. It’s a complete guy.”
Boulter avoids default
Katie Boulter has admitted her relief at avoiding any serious harm after inadvertently hitting a ball towards spectators.
The British No 1 had just lost a 20-shot rally when a ball kid through her a ball, which she batted away and towards the crowd.
If the ball had gone into the crowd and hit someone then Boulter would have been disqualified from the tournament, but she only received a code violation for ball abuse.
“Firstly, the safety of everyone is the most important thing for me,” she said. “It was completely unintentional, and luckily it wasn’t anywhere close to anyone.
“But for a second I was feeling pretty bad, if I’m honest.”
Murray to consider tennis future
Andy Murray has admitted he would have to consider his future in tennis if he began to tumble back down the rankings.
The Briton has enjoyed a strong season this year with back-to-back Challenger titles in Surbiton and Nottingham earlier this summer.
But his hopes in Grand Slams came to an abrupt end on Thursday in a straight-sets defeat to Grigor Dimitrov.
Murray has no immediate plans to consider retirement, but he did admit after the loss that his view could change.
He said: “If things change and I stop enjoying that or my results, my ranking and everything, if I start to go backwards in that respect, in a few months’ time I was ranked 60 in the world or whatever instead of moving up the way, things might change.”
Berrettini leaves in wheelchair
Matteo Berrettini’s luck went from bad to devastating on Thursday when he suffered a horrible injury that left him screaming in agony on the court before being wheelchaired away.
He’s suffered a bate of injuries this year, but his latest injury looks set to rule him out for some time.
The Italian tumbled hard to the ground after appearing to badly twist his right ankle.
He was pictured leaving the arena in a wheelchair with his head in his hands.
We’re all wishing the 2021 Wimbledon finalist a speedy recovery!
Medvedev screams at crowd
Daniil Medvedev’s love-hate relationship with the crowd at Flushing Meadows continued on Thursday as he launched into an angry tirade on the court.
The No 3 seed was angered by some supporters who were talking while taking their seats.
“Can you shut up?” Medvedev began. “Are you stupid or what?”
A female fan was seen blowing a kiss in response to Medvedev’s outburst.
Good morning
Hello and welcome back as we look ahead to Day Five of the US Open.
We’re shutting down yesterday’s blog now and moving here but you can still look back on Thursday’s action right here.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Source: Read Full Article
