2023-08-31 07:15:13
The evening was marked by the elimination in the second round of last year’s finalist Casper Ruud (5th in the world), by the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang (67th) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6 , 6-2.
This year, the 24-year-old Norwegian reached the final at Roland-Garros again, as in 2022, but he was beaten in the second round in Australia, at Wimbledon and therefore at Flushing Meadows.
Premature elimination also of Stefanos Tsitsipas (7th in the world): the Greek, who has never passed the third round at Flushing Meadows, cracked against the Swiss Dominic Stricker (128th) who won 7-5, 6-7 ( 2/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 after a 4:04 marathon.
In the wake of this disappointment, he separated from his coach Mark Philippoussis and will take his father back to his team, according to the Greek media SDNA.
Djokovic only took two hours to overcome stifling weather conditions and complete his match against the Spaniard Bernabe Zapata (76th) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.
“I didn’t start the match very well, but in the second and third sets, I raised my level by two or three notches”, he welcomed, however, considering being able to “play better than that” .
“Not easy”
Djokovic, world N.2 but already assured of becoming N.1 again at the end of the tournament whatever the results, will be opposed Friday to his compatriot Laslo Djere (38th) for a place in 8th of final.
The 36-year-old, absent last year for refusing the covid vaccine, is hoping to win a fourth title at Flushing Meadows to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
In the women’s draw, defending champion Iga Swiatek was not as dominating against world No. 322 Daria Saville.
The world N.1 took 1h34 to win 6-3, 6-4. But despite a comfortable score, the one who often goes 6-0 in the first rounds of Majors, was not imperial.
“It wasn’t easy, the pace of the match was weird, but I’m happy that I managed to stay aggressive and get through to the third round,” admitted the Pole.
In particular, she gave up her face-off three times on the three break points conceded (twice in the first set and once in the second).
In her quest for a fifth Grand Slam title, she will face Slovenian Kaja Juvan (145th and qualifying) on Friday to try to climb into the round of 16.
Mannarino and Bonzi at the rendezvous
Another of the title contenders, the young American Coco Gauff (6th in the world at 19) won with authority against the even younger Russian Mirra Andreeva (63rd at 16) 6-3, 6-2.
“I didn’t play very well in the first round and today I was much cleaner,” said Gauff, who continues her dazzling summer marked by victories at the Washington and Cincinnati tournaments, where she beat Swiatek in half.
In New York, Gauff, who played the final at Roland-Garros in 2022, will face the Belgian Elise Mertens (32nd) for a place in the round of 16, with the hope of finding, theoretically, Swiatek in the quarters.
Qualification without playing for Elena Rybakina (4th) who benefited from the withdrawal of Australian Ajla Tomljanovic (127th) shortly before the match.
As for Caroline Wozniacki, she continues her comeback after two and a half years of absence and the birth of her two children, with a prestigious victory against the Czech Petra Kvitova (11th) 7-5, 7-6 (7/5 ).
On the French side, the fine careers of Hugo Gaston (99th) and Titouan Droguet (171st), passed through the qualifications, were interrupted respectively by the Serb Laslo Djere (38th), 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 and the Czech Jakub Mensik (206th) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.
On the other hand, Adrian Mannarino and Benjamin Bonzi reach the third round. Mannarino (35th) overcame Hungarian Fabian Marozsan (92nd) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 and Bonzi (108th) over American Christopher Eubanks (30th) 7-6 (8/ 6), 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7).
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