Coco Gauff advances after Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova dent home hopes at US Open

NEW YORK – Coco Gauff provided one of the few bright spots for Americans at the US Open on Sept 5, reaching the fourth round after her compatriots and former finalists Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova all crashed out earlier in the day.

Ninth seed Fritz had yet to drop a set in New York and looked well on his way to another routine victory before Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo found his best tennis to flip the script and win 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

It was the earliest exit in four years for the 2024 runner-up, as Cerundolo reached the fourth round for the first time.

Most of the American women fared no better as China’s Zheng Qinwen came back from a 5-0 deficit in the decider to beat 2017 runner-up Keys 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 on the Grandstand, collapsing on court in utter joy as she fights back from a career slump.

The Olympic champion reached the quarter-finals for the second straight time only two years ago, but was forced to go through qualifying this time after a chronic right elbow injury derailed her career progress.

“I just told myself, keep holding every single point, never give up, stay there. And somehow, little by little, it just happened,” said the 23-year-old.

“Finally one time a bit of luck is on my side.”

The 10th-seeded Anisimova, the 2025 runner-up, was unable to reverse her fortunes in a frustrating year at the Grand Slams, with a 6-2, 7-5 defeat by Anastasia Potapova.

The Austrian made her deepest run at the US Open as she saved 13 of the 16 break points she faced in a terrific defensive display by the 24th seed.

Fourth seed Gauff later gave home fans something to cheer by overcoming Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 6-4 to book her place in the last 16.

The 2023 champion overcame some early struggles on serve to secure another convincing victory and keep her bid for a third Grand Slam title alive.

The 22-year-old will face 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, who outlasted Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a three-hour showdown.

Calling Bucsa a “tricky player”, Gauff said: “She can sometimes speed it up and slow it down. So it was tough for me to get a rhythm, but I’m just happy with how I fought through even when I wasn’t playing my best.”

The 2022 champion Iga Swiatek had done much to quiet critics of her up-and-down season with a win in Toronto in August and refused to become another seed ousted as she beat Czech Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3).

She will face Zheng in a rematch of their Olympic semi-final, where the Chinese player beat her en route to gold.

Elsewhere in the early programme, women’s fifth seed Mirra Andreeva moved past Czech Nikola Bartunkova 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), while Belgian Alexander Blockx upset the men’s fifth seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.

Naomi Osaka continued to impress with her staying power as the Japanese 13th seed battled past Elise Mertens 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to reach the fourth round.

For her latest fashionable walk-on look, the four-time Major champion blended boardroom and locker-room aesthetics in a grey checked blazer-hoodie and wide-leg pants, putting a tailored twist on traditional pre-match attire.

The 28-year-old, a two-time champion at Flushing Meadows, reeled off three games in succession to take a 4-1 lead in the first set, clinching it with a battling hold thanks to a string of booming serves.

Mertens levelled the match and forced a decider.

After recovering a break late on, Osaka fired a huge ace to take a 6-5 lead and revved up her forehand in the following game to complete the win and earn a meeting with Elena Rybakina in the round of 16.

World No. 2 Rybakina avenged her French Open loss to Yuliia Starodubtseva, beating the Ukrainian 7-6 (8-6), 6-3.

In the men’s draw, top seed Alexander Zverev lost his way in the second set but got his game back under control to secure a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 victory over Alejandro Tabilo to also reach the fourth round. REUTERS