NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 2, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

The first week of the 56th edition of the US Open in the Open Era has been full of surprises. Both the thrills of victory and the agonies of defeat have been on full display throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, from Arthur Ashe Stadium all the way across the grounds to Court 17 and everywhere in between.

Who could have imagined Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reaching the second week of the US Open – her first major in more than three years – at age 33 after becoming a mother of two. Her comeback is getting pretty real and she will play World No. 6 and American crowd favorite Coco Gauff in Sunday’s fourth round – likely in prime time on Arthur Ashe Stadium – the biggest stage in tennis. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old teenager Gauff did her part by rallying to beat No. 32 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, on Friday night for her eighth straight victory and 14th in her last 15. She won the last nine games of the match after struggling in the opening set.

After Wozniacki reached her first major fourth round as a mom – and first overall since 2018 – after defeating American Jennifer Brady, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, Friday afternoon, she said in an on-court interview: “To be playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it’s a dream come true. I didn’t think I’d be here again. When I retired and had kids, I never thought I’d be here again. … What an honor this is.”

POP. THE. POPCORN. pic.twitter.com/wlc4i8vrut

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2023

Also, who could have pictured 38-year-old Stan Wawrinka from Switzerland – the oldest player in the men’s singles draw – winning his first two matches. Both came in front of packed crowds, Tuesday on the Grandstand and Thursday on Court 17. Now, he’s  become the oldest man to reach the third round of the US Open since Jimmy Connors in 1991. Wawrinka will face a very in-form World No. 6 Jannik Sinner Saturday afternoon on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“The emotion I get from tennis like today playing on Court 17 full of people, playing a top 30 player (Tomas Martin Etcheverry), and still winning is something special,” Wawrinka said during his news conference Thursday. “I know the day that I stop, I won’t find those emotions anywhere. I’m enjoying what I’m doing. I think it’s an amazing life. We are lucky to be tennis players. It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re passionate about something, you shouldn’t stop.”

While Wozniacki and Wawrinka have provided plenty of joy, Greek stars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari – both Top 10 stars – disappointedly flamed out early. Sakkari was upset by unheralded Rebeka Masarova of Spain on Opening Day and Tsitsipas went out in the second round to surprising Swiss qualifier Dominik Stricker. Proving his wins over Australian Alexei Popyrin and Tsitsipas – his first Top 5 triumph – weren’t flukes, the 128th-ranked Stricker went the distance Friday evening to beat No. 108 Benjamin Bonzi of France, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2, in back of 14 aces and 60 winners, on the Grandstand in a match that took three hours and 27 minutes to complete.

“I think everyone’s gonna take a chocolate now,” Stricker said after reaching his first major fourth round. He’s definitely not going out without a fight.

Record crowds – not only Americans but also Europeans and fans from around the globe as well as former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama – have made their way to Flushing Meadows to be part of the excitement in the first week. The South Plaza has been festive both day and night and fans are arriving early and staying late. On Wednesday, 73,007 fans entered through the turnstiles and spread across the US Open grounds, which broke a two-day old record of 72,957 fans set Monday.

Although there have been some very brisk matches – such as Iga Swiatek‘s 58-minute bagel and breadstick 6-0, 6-1 win over Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson and Russian Daniil Medevedev‘s one-hour and 12-minute straight-set win against hapless Attila Balazs of Hungary – there have also been some thrillers that went the distance. Among them, No. 19 seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria rallied from two sets down to beat No. 115 Alex Molcan of Slovakia, 6-7 (9), 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (9), in 4 hours, 38 minutes Monday afternoon on Court 7. Dimitrov tallied 20 aces and hit 81 winners overall. Then, on Wednesday, Dimitrov ended 2012 US Open champ Andy Murray‘s brief run, winning 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in an afternoon matinee on Arthur Ashe Stadium, after which Murray questioned his future.

“It’s obviously disappointing to not play how you would like,” Murray said in his news conference. “But maybe I need to accept that, you know, at these events [that] I had the deep runs and everything that I felt like I’m capable of, they might not be there [anymore].”

Throughout the first week, there have been dominant displays from Swiatek of Poland and three-time US Open champ Novak Djokovic of Serbia – although he had to play well into early Saturday morning to overcome a two-sets-to-none deficit to beat fellow Serbian Laslo Djere, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 – as well as disappointments by the likes of Denmark’s Holger Rune and Caroline Garcia of France, both expected to run deep into their respective draws only to lose in the first round. There was also the sad and sudden retirement of Austrian Dominic Thiem due to illness, a five-set loss for last year’s finalist Casper Ruud of Norway and a couple of big wins by American Taylor Townsend before she bowed during Friday’s third round to talented Czech Karolina Muchova, who debut in the Top 10 at the beginning of the New York fortnight.

He did it again. pic.twitter.com/qfNpSyA2yo

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 2, 2023

Elsewhere, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur has soldiered on through an untimely bout of the flu – being a warrior in her words – in gutting out a pair of wins over Camila Osorio of Colombia and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic. Also, World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the American No. 1, and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, wearing her heart and that of her war-torn country of Ukraine on her sleeve, twice have won impressively to set up an enticing, third-round popcorn matinee on Arthur Ashe Stadium Saturday.

Meanwhile, men’s top seed and current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who will return to World No. 2 at the end of the US Open, has brought some delightful and much-needed fun to the Ashe night sessions. On Saturday, the 20-year-old will open the afternoon on Arthur Ashe Stadium against No. 26 seed Daniel Evans of Great Britain, giving the Day Session fans a chance to see the Spanish heartthrob.

Finally, on Thursday afternoon, 38-year-old father of four John Isner of the United States bowed in his final match, a thrilling five-setter to fellow American Michael Mmoh, 13 years his junior. It’s only fitting that Isner’s final match was decided by a match tie-break. The final scoreline between the two wild cards: Mmoh defeated Isner, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (7). Isner fired 48 aces and hit 94 winners during the 3-hour, 57-minute Grandstand marathon. Isner closed the book on an outstanding career in which he won 489 tour matches, 16 ATP singles titles, 15 Davis Cup singles wins, a record-setting 14,471 aces and played in 829 career tie-breaks. Isner reached a career-best No. 8 ranking, was a Wimbledon semifinalist and twice a US Open quarterfinalist.

“It’s a range of emotions,” Isner said in his post-match news conference. “There’s, of course, a lot of disappointment with the result of my singles match today, but at the same time a lot of gratitude, as well, just to have one last time playing in an atmosphere like that. It was very cool.”

The charismatic and athletic Gaël Monfils of France, a contemporary of Isner’s who just turned 37 this week and is also a father, said of the American’s retirement in press after losing in the second round to No. 8 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia: “It was a long journey and a beautiful one. I get to meet good buddies. Seeing him competing in his last game in front of his four kids, for him it’s such a big achievement. What could he wish better? He’s a proud dad, had an amazing career. … I’m really happy for him.”

While Isner became the standard bearer for the United States men following in the footsteps of Andy Roddick, the last American male to win the US Open singles title 20 yers ago, now he passes the baton to the likes of fellow Americans Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe, both currently ranked in the Top 10 (at No. 9 and No. 10 respectively) and each through to the second week following a trio of impressive victories, as well as No. 14 seed Tommy Paul.

The New Jersey native Paul has navigated his way through to Sunday’s fourth round after a pair of four-set wins against Stefano Travaglia of Italy and No. 21 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain sandwiched around a three-hour-plus five-set win over Russia’s Roman Safiullin, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3, in which he recovered nicely from a two-sets-to-none deficit.

There are a total of five American men remaining in contention for the singles title: Fritz, Tiafoe, Paul, Mmoh and NextGen ATP rising star Ben Shelton, who came on strong Friday to eliminate Aslan Karatsev of Russia in four sets. Shelton, who struck 26 aces including one that registered a speed of 147 miles per hour, will face Paul, a winner of nine of his last 11 matches, on Sunday.

“I am really pleased with my performance today,” Shelton said afterward in an on-court interview. “Happy with the way I served. I think it was one of my best serving days ever. I think I had the most aces I have had in a match and it was the day after John Isner played his last match, so it is kind of weird. Maybe he left some of his serving magic out for me, so thanks Johnny. …

“I am proud to be an American. This is the greatest atmosphere in tennis, so being an American here is unmatched and I appreciate [your] support.”

By the numbers

Rinky Hijikata of Australia became he first Australian wild card to reach the fourth round of the US Open in the Open Era after beating Zhang Zhizhen of China, 6-3, 6-3,4-6, 6-3, Friday.

“Quotable …”

“I’ve always watched this tournament as a kid. The fans are unbelievable. There’s so. I h history here. Arthur Ashe Stadium. What a legend. I just want my name in the same sentence as his.”

— Frances Tiafoe of the United States, speaking about the late Hall of Fame great Arthur Ashe, whom the main stadium at the US Open is named after.

“I definitely see myself in her. She’s very determined. She has a bit of a temper. She wants to play tennis. Every morning she wakes up and says ‘Mama, let’s play.’ I have it coming for me, that’s for sure.”

— Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, during her on-court interview Friday, speaking about her daughter Olivia.