The Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner has successfully avoided the fate that befell several of his top competitors by advancing to the fourth round of the US Open. This comes as former world number one Iga Swiatek gains momentum in her pursuit of a sixth Grand Slam title following an encouraging conversation with Serena Williams. Defending champion Novak Djokovic was surprisingly eliminated in the third round by Alexei Popyrin, while another title contender, Carlos Alcaraz, was sent home by Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round.
All eyes are now on Sinner, who confidently defeated Christopher O’Connell with a score of 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, reinforcing his status as a favorite in the tournament. “This sport is unpredictable, right? Whenever you drop a bit in your level, whether it’s mentally, technically, or physically, it has a big impact on the outcome,” Sinner remarked in reference to the exits of Djokovic and Alcaraz. “Both opponents they lost to played fantastic tennis. And that happens.”
Sinner’s next challenge is Tommy Paul, who is also among the players hoping to end a 21-year drought for American Grand Slam winners, a title last won by Andy Roddick in New York. Seeded 14th, Paul struggled through a tough first set against Gabriel Diallo but eventually won 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(3). “He is probably the best ball striker on tour, and I’m not,” Paul stated. “I don’t want to go toe-to-toe with him from the baseline. I’ll try to vary my game.”
On the women’s side, sixth seed Jessica Pegula advanced with a victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, while Ashlyn Krueger was defeated by Liudmila Samsonova with a score of 6-1, 6-1. Iga Swiatek, the French Open champion, also demonstrated her talent by beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-2 after an inspiring conversation with 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams, who is now present as a fan following her retirement from tennis in 2022. “It was nice to see her. She has a lot of positive energy. It’s great that she came by and spoke with the players,” Swiatek shared, adding that she was pleased Williams was cheering for her.
Italian player Jasmine Paolini, a finalist at both Roland Garros (French Open) and Wimbledon, continues to impress after defeating Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4. However, she faces a tough challenge in the form of Karolina Muchova, who has shown strength after a long injury break, having defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-2.
Australian player Alex de Minaur, who has struggled with injuries recently, triumphed over British player Dan Evans with a score of 6-3, 6-7(4-7), 6-0, 6-0. Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki continues her impressive comeback season, securing a win against Jessika Ponchet 6-3, 6-2.
British player Jack Draper, carrying the legacy of Andy Murray, who retired last summer, won against Van de Zandschulp with a score of 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Daniil Medvedev, the only former champion still in the tournament, progressed easily with a victory over Flavio Cobolli, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Medvedev, who won the tournament in 2021, is looking forward to repeating that success. “This is the only Grand Slam where I have that opportunity,” he stated.
As excitement builds in the upcoming rounds of the US Open, fans are sure to keep a close eye on how Sinner and other top players perform in the week ahead.