Upsets rained at the Flushing Meadows on Friday as Carlos Alcaraz and Leylah Fernandez recorded major shocks over highly-favored Stefanos Tsitsipas and Naomi Osaka, respectively, in the third round of the 2021 US Open.
Alcaraz grabbed the headlines first when he defeated Tsitsipas in a five-set thriller to become the youngest player to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament since 1992. Alcaraz needed four hours and six minutes to outlast Tsitsipas, winning the match 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 0-6, 7-6 (5).
Alcaraz makes history with win over Tsitsipas
The 55th-ranked Alcaraz became the youngest player to defeat a top-3 opponent at a Grand Slam since Michael Chang accomplished that feat in 1989. Chang, 17 years old then, ousted World No. 1 Ivan Lendl and World No. 3 Stefan Edberg at Roland Garros en route to the French Open title.
Alcaraz showed nerves of steel in this contest, particularly in the third set when he went down 2-5 against the Greek star. He managed to save three set points in the eighth game when Tsitsipas served two sets to one lead. Alcaraz broke Tsitsipas' serve twice later in the third set, eventually taking it in a tie-break to turn the tables on the French Open finalist.
Tsitsipas battled back strongly, though, leveling the contest at two sets apiece after taking the fourth set in just 27 minutes. The fifth set was a much closer affair, though, with the two players combining for just one break point opportunity before the tie-break.
With the crowd firmly behind him, Alcaraz stormed to a 6-3 advantage over Tsitsipas. The Greek star fought back, though, saving two match points to slice the deficit to 6-5. Tsitsipas made a huge mistake, however, in the following point, throwing an easy backhand slice to Alcaraz, who quickly dispatched it with an inside-out forehand winner.
Next up for Alcaraz is a fourth-round meeting with German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk, who defeated Henri Laaksonen in four sets in the third round, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
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Osaka crashes out after meltdown
Hours after Alcaraz's major upset against Tsitsipas, New York was rocked with another stunning result, with Naomi Osaka the next top-seeded player to crash out of the US Open. The defending champion looked to be on her way to the fourth round after going a set and a break up over Leylah Fernandez.
Osaka lost her composure and poise on the court, though, when Fernandez staged a late comeback in the second set, as she saw her title defense crumble under pressure. Fernandez took control of the match in the second-set tie-break, eventually winning the contest in three sets, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4, to reach the second week of a major for the first time in her career.
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