Tsonga, Zverev and Wozniacki out as high seeds tumble early
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Israeli-born Canadian 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov upset eighth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3) in New York on Wednesday night to become the youngest player to enter the US Open third round since American Donald Young in 2007.
Shapovalov, who had to qualify for the main draw, rose his hands in triumph after the television review showed that Tsonga’s final shot had sailed past the baseline.
Shapovalov surprised the tennis world earlier this month with a run to the semifinals in Montreal, which included a win over current world No. 1 Rafael Nadal.
The left-hander faces Britain’s Kyle Edmund, who defeated American Steve Johnson, in the next round.
Unseeded Croatian Borna Coric ended the campaign of fellow 20-yearold Alexander Zverev, winning 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 7-6(4) in three hours and 26 minutes. The German fourth seed fired down 22 aces in the match but had seven double faults and 58 unforced errors.
Zverev, winner of five titles this season including the warmup tournament in Montreal where he defeated Roger Federer in the final, looked poised to settle the score when he grabbed the opening set.
But the 61st-ranked Coric battled back to win three close sets, the last two in tie-breaks, to leave the German swinging his racket in frustration.
In the women’s draw, ninth seed Venus Williams of the United States, champion in 2000 and 2001, recorded 32 winners on her way to a 7-5, 6-4 second round win over France’s Oceane Dodin.
Williams has won two of her seven major titles at Flushing Meadows, in 2000 and 2001.
Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova put out fifth seed and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-1 victory in two hours and 20 minutes in the final match of the third day at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
In other action, Jewish 29th seed Diego Schwartzman from Argentina beat Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 to set up a meeting against fifth seed Marin Cilic.
Also, Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina powered into the third round of the US Open with a 6-4 6-4 win against Russian Evgeniya Rodina on Thursday.
The 22-year-old, who had also reached the third round at Flushing Meadows in the previous two years, was barely troubled by her 89th-ranked opponent in a sun-kissed Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Svitolina lost focus in the second set at 5-2 when she allowed Rodina to pull a break back, but she held her following service game to wrap up the victory on the first match point with a backhand winner.
Meanwhile, 12th-seeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-4 to book a spot in the third round.
The 20-year-old French Open winner has progressed past the second round of the competition for the first time and will be targeting her second Grand Slam title of the year.
Unseeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov beat 15th-seeded Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(5), 6-2 to seal a third round spot, while women’s No. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova advanced to the third round by rallying for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Nicole Gibbs.
Men’s top seed Nadal and Swiss ace Roger Federer played their second-round matches late Thursday, both beginning after press time.