US Open: Jack Draper eases past Botic van de Zandschulp, Jannik Sinner, Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula progress
Updated 01/09/2024 at 09:40 GMT+1
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner dominated his third-round match against Christopher O'Connell at the US Open, while Jack Draper defeated Botic van de Zandschulp after the Dutchman knocked Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament. In the Women's singles, fifth and sixth seeds Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula are both safely through to the fourth round in New York.
Highlights: Sinner eases past O'Connell, wins for Paolini and Pegula
Video credit: SNTV
Jannik Sinner breezed into round four of the US Open in just one hour and 53 minutes, defeating Australia's Christopher O'Connell in straight-sets, 6-1 6-4 6-2.
There was not to be another major upset of a top seed on Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York after Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic were defeated in their second and third round matches respectively.
It has been a rocky number of weeks for the world No. 1 after he was cleared of doping violations by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), but the Italian avoided the distractions to deliver a solid performance against O' Connell.
Sinner dominated the first set, winning the opening five games and then the set inside 30 minutes. He broke early in the second and third sets, not allowing his opponent, who is ranked 87th in the world, to break back.
The winner of the match between Canada's Gabriel Diallo and Tommy Paul of the United States will face Sinner in the next round.
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‘This sport is unpredictable’ – Sinner on Djokovic and Alcaraz suffering shock losses
Video credit: TNT Sports
Draper impresses in straight-sets victory
Jack Draper swept into the fourth round with a straight-sets 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp, the conqueror of world No. 3 Alcaraz in the previous round.
Draper is yet to drop a set in the tournament after straight-sets victories over Zhang Zhizhen and Facundo Acosta in the first and second rounds, and he continued his momentum in a dominant performance against Van de Zandschulp.
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The Dutchman provided one of the biggest shocks of the Grand Slam season in round three after he knocked out reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz.
The Englishman sent down 12 aces, including seven in the opening set, and only gave up one break of serve against Van der Zandschulp, finishing out the match in just over two hours to book a spot in round four. He will face the Czech Republic's Tomas Machac after the world No. 39's three-set win over David Goffin.
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‘Feel a lot different to last year’ – Draper now has ‘so much more confidence in mind and body’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Paolini makes Italian tennis history
Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian woman in the Open era to reach the fourth round of all four Grand Slams in a single season after a 6-3 6-4 victory over Yulia Putintseva at the US Open.
It was not the only historic milestone for Paolini as she also set the record for the most singles Grand Slam victories in a single year by an Italian woman, 18, as reported by the US Open's official X account.
The 28-year-old builds on progress that saw her reach the fourth round at the Australian Open and finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this summer.
Paolini took a 3-1 lead in the first set before the duo traded breaks of serve four consecutive times in an entertaining opening set, but the Italian steadied in the ninth game to hold serve and convert her first set point.
Putintseva was broken early in the second set and failed to break back as Paolini held off an attacking performance from the Kazakhstani. World No. 52 Karolina Muchova awaits in the next round.
Pegula safely through to round four
Jessica Pegula also booked her passage into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The American forced her first break point of the opening set at 3-3, hammering a cross-court forehand against her flat-footed opponent to steal the game. She would go on to win the next six games, taking the first set and finding herself 3-0 up in the second.
Despite the 21-year-old Spaniard breaking back at 3-1 in the second set, the result felt like a formality as Pegula broke straight back.
The American secured her passage through to the second week a short while later, completing her quickest match of the tournament thus far in one hour and 10 minutes.
Pegula will face world No. 18 Diana Shnaider next following her 6-2 6-2 win over Sara Errani.
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