AUSTRALIA’S Nick Kyrgios returns a shot to Andrey Rublev of Russia during their third-round match.—AP
“She [Osaka] did amazing and I am going to learn a lot from this match,” Gauff said. “She’s the number one player in the world right now, so I know what I need to do to get to that level.”
Osaka next faces Swiss 13th seed Belinda Bencic, who was handed a walkover when Anett Kontaveit withdrew due to illness.
Three-time champion Nadal returned from an extended rest to dispose of 170th-ranked South Korean qualifier Chung Hyeon 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, having benefited from three days off after a walkover.
The Spanish second seed will meet 2014 champion Marin Cilic for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I’m happy to be in the fourth round for one more time. It was a good match,” said Nadal, who quit with injury against Juan Martin del Potro during last year’s semi-final. “I’m trying to play a little bit more aggressive and a little bit less than before. It’s true last year I had some tough matches. You never know what’s better or worse,” he said of his serene progress this week.
Cilic, the 22nd seed and 2017 Wimbledon finalist, took out top US hope John Isner in four tight sets.
“I’ve played quite a few times with Rafa. When you play these top guys you have to come up with your great tennis,” said Cilic.
Sixth seed Alexander Zverev made it to the second week in New York for the first time after fighting past Aljaz Bedene 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Andrey Rublev, a 2017 quarter-finalist, beat Nick Kyrgios in three entertaining sets while 13th seed Gael Monfils is the highest-ranked player left in that quarter of the draw after he outlasted Denis Shapovalov in five sets.
Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu, seeded 15th, brushed past two-time US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4 to extend her best Grand Slam run.
The 19-year-old, a winner at Toronto and Indian Wells this season, improved to 30-4 for the year despite missing much of the clay and grass portion with a shoulder injury.
“I think everything is just clicking with me,” said Andreescu, who had never gone beyond round two at a major prior to this tournament. “I’ve been through a lot with injuries and have just taken everything I’ve learned from the past couple of years and brought it into this year.”
American qualifier Taylor Townsend continued her surprise run after reaching the last 16 for the first time at a Slam.
Townsend, ranked 116th, followed up her shock win over reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep by beating another Romanian, Sorana Cirstea, 7-5, 6-2.
Saturday’s collated results (prefix number denotes seeding):
Men’s singles:
Third round: Andrey Rublev (Russia) bt 28-Nick Kyrgios (Australia) 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; 24-Matteo Berrettini (Italy) bt Alexei Popyrin (Australia) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-2); 13-Gael Monfils (France) bt Denis Shapovalov (Canada) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3; Pablo Andujar (Spain) bt Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2; 6-Alexander Zverev (Germany) bt Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3;) 20-Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) bt Tennys Sandgren (US) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; 22-Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt 14-John Isner (US) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4; 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) bt Chung Hyeon (South Korea) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Women’s singles:
Third round: 1-Naomi Osaka (Japan) bt Coco Gauff (US) 6-3, 6-0; 13-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland) bt 21-Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) — walkover illness; 23-Donna Vekic (Croatia) bt Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) 6-4, 6-1; 26-Julia Goerges (Germany) bt 7-Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) 6-2, 6-3; Taylor Townsend (US) bt Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 7-5, 6-2; 15-Bianca Andreescu (Canada) bt 19-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) 6-4, 6-4; Kristie Ahn (US) bt Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) 6-3, 7-5; 25-Elise Mertens (Belgium) bt Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-3, 6-3.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2019