Sinner survives Shapovalov test in U.S. Open first round, Gauff hits stride

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner recovered from a set down against Canadian Denis Shapovalov 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-3 in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, while Coco Gauff shook off the nerves that had rattled her during her first two matches to advance.

Defending champion and world number one Sinner dropped his first set of the tournament on Arthur Ashe Stadium as Shapovalov unleashed some of his best tennis to get the hot start.

The Italian quickly flipped the momentum, however, as he raised his level across the board and the 27th seed produced an increasing number of errors.

Sinner will next play either Kazakhstan’s 23rd seed Alexander Bublik or American 14th seed Tommy Paul.

Gauff struggled with errors and double faults in her first two rounds at Flushing Meadows but the American third seed hit her stride on Saturdat to subdue Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech 6-3 6-1.

“It’s been an emotional week,” said the 2023 champion, who showed solid improvement in her serve with four double faults compared to 18 across her first two matches.

“Today showed I was really having fun out there.”

She will next play Naomi Osaka of Japan in a blockbuster Labor Day showdown between two U.S. Open fan favourites, after the four-time Grand Slam champion beat Australian 15th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-0 4-6 6-3.

A third-round battle between long-time Italian friends ended in disappointment as Flavio Cobolli cut short his tussle with 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti while trailing 6-3 6-2 2-0 due to arm issues.

Poland’s second seed Iga Swiatek headlines the night session on Ashe, where the 29th-ranked Anna Kalinskaya will hope to disrupt the Wimbledon champion’s terrific season.

Kalinskaya beat Swiatek on the Dubai hardcourts in 2024 and reached the Washington final earlier this year but faces long odds against the dominant six-time major winner.

Paul will be hoping to join fellow American Taylor Fritz in the last 16 by beating Bublik in the final match on Ashe.

Third-ranked German Alexander Zverev will continue his quest for a maiden major when he plays the Canadian 25th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.