NEW YORK, Aug 31 — Jannik Sinner continued his defense of the US Open title yesterday, while Iga Swiatek fought her way into the last 16, and local favorite Coco Gauff secured a thrilling matchup against Naomi Osaka.
NEW YORK, Aug 31 — Jannik Sinner continued his defense of the US Open title yesterday, while Iga Swiatek fought her way into the last 16, and local favorite Coco Gauff secured a thrilling matchup against Naomi Osaka.
Sinner came back after losing the first set to defeat Canadian 27th seed Denis Shapovalov with scores of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. He aims to be the first man to defend the title in New York since Roger Federer did it in 2008.
"I was going through a tough time," Sinner said. "The score wasn't in my favor today, but I focused on staying mentally present."
Top-ranked player Sinner will compete against either US 14th seed Tommy Paul or Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the upcoming round.
"The second week is totally different. It’s becoming harder and harder, both physically and mentally," Sinner stated.
Third seed Alexander Zverev experienced his earliest exit from the US Open in seven years, losing to a motivated Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Canada’s Auger-Aliassime hit 50 winners but was just a point away from being two sets down before defeating Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 6-4.
Swiatek, who won the US Open in 2022 and has six major titles, wasn't at her best but managed to reach the last 16 where she will face Ekaterina Alexandrova.
"I felt like I had nothing to lose since I was doing really poorly. So ultimately, I just went for it because what other choice did I have?" Swiatek said about her comeback.
Russian player Alexandrova, seeded 13th, has never gone beyond the fourth round in a Grand Slam. However, she dominated Laura Siegemund with a score of 6-0, 6-1 and has only lost 10 games on her way to the second week at Flushing Meadows.
Gauff easily defeated Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech with a score of 6-3, 6-1 in her best performance of the tournament, enhancing her chances of winning a second US Open title.
Following a hard-fought and emotional win in the last round, a calmer Gauff defeated Frech quite easily.
"This week has been full of emotions, but I believe those challenging times were necessary for my progress. I was really hard on myself," Gauff said, as she reached the last 16 in New York for the fourth consecutive year.
Gauff is set to face former world number one Osaka tomorrow after Osaka defeated Australian 15th seed Daria Kasatkina with a score of 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka is having her best performance at the US Open since she won the tournament for the second time in 2020.
The last-16 match will be a rematch of the duo’s initial encounter at the US Open in 2019, where Osaka defeated the then 15-year-old Gauff in straight sets.
“Everyone will be watching. That’s what tennis needs,” said Venus Williams, who progressed to round three of the the women’s doubles yesterday with partner Leylah Fernandez.
Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova beat Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, while Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova and Ukrainian 27th seed Marta Kostyuk both won in three sets. — AFP
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 — SpaceX has called off a scheduled test flight for its Starship megarocket on Sunday, citing the need for additional time to address issues, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s colossal project following a string of explosive failures.
CARACAS, Aug 25 — Ninety fashion enthusiasts displayed garments made of lace, denim, cotton, satin, and recycled materials in a diverse "battle of outfits" on Saturday at Venezuela’s National Art Gallery in Caracas, defying traditional fashion norms and celebrating their "unique" identities.