It’s been a stunning few days at the US Open. The women’s No. 1 and No. 3 seeds are out, and so is the men’s No. 3 seed. Young phenoms have notched statement wins. Little known players have made names for themselves with unexpected upsets.
In short, anything can happen at the US Open, and during Round 3, anything did.
The Round of 16 on Sunday, and there’s even more at stake: a trip to the US Open quarterfinals. Every match matters, and there’s upset potential everywhere you look. Will unseeded qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp be able to overcome Diego Schwartzman after beating the No. 21 seed? Will Leylah Fernandez, who shocked Naomi Osaka two days ago, find success against the resurgent Angelique Kerber? Will American Frances Tiafoe keep wowing the crowds with his passionate play? Will he be able to get past Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime?
We’ll find out the answers to all those questions and more on Sunday, so check back for updates on all the action from the Round of 16.
Elina Svitolina powers past Simona Halep
Upset fever may be on the rise at the US Open, but Elina Svitolina hasn’t caught it. The No. 5 seed got past two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, the No. 12 seed, with a 6-3, 6-3 win.
Svitolina had hiccups in both sets, letting Halep get a foothold that could possibly hoist her to an upset, but she played solid, calm tennis throughout. But both players brought their A-game to the court. There were numerous long rallies, some won by Halep, some by Svitolina, but they both made some incredible shots to try and save the point.
Halep just couldn’t catch Svitolina when she got ahead, and she wasn’t helped by the 22 unforced errors she made, almost double the number Svitolina had.
Svitolina is now one step closer to making it to the final of a Grand Slam tournament, something she’s never done before. She’s gotten as far as the semifinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, but has never managed to get farther. Now she’s two matches away from the US Open final.