Sinner Smothers O’Connell To Move Into US Open Second Week

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (photo: Jürgen Hasenkopf)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, September 1, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner showed his dominance from the moment he walked out on sunny but cool Arthur Ashe Stadium for his US Open third-round match against Australian Christopher O’Connell Saturday afternoon.

“Today was a great match,” the top seed Sinner said following his 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over the 87th-ranked Australian, which he wrapped up in a tidy one hour and 53 minutes for his second career victory over O’Connell in three meetings. Sinner jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set and never looked back.

The 23-year-old Italian hit 15 aces, won 82 percent of his first-serve points, converted five of 10 break points and did not face any break points on his serve. Sinner struck 46 winners, made only 22 unforced errors and outpointed the 30-year-old O’Connell 92-57. It all added up to Sinner’s 51st victory of the season, with six-time US Open champion Serena Williams among the spectators watching on.

“I knew I had to play very solid throughout the whole match,” said Sinner, who improved to 36-0 versus players ranked outside the Top 20 this season. “Today, my serve was working really well. I’m happy about my performance. Thanks, everyone, for the support. It’s been amazing.”

Since losing the opening set of his first-round match against American Mackenzie McDonald on Tuesday, Sinner has dropped just 18 games in his past nine sets, which averages to two games lost per set.

With both of his fiercest rivals – defending champion Novak Djokovic and 2022 US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz – eliminated over the past two days, Sinner was asked how he had been able to compartmentalize his game and his matches without focusing on everything else happening around the tournament.

“As we see, everything can happen in this sport,” Sinner admitted during his on-court interview. “I try to stay on my side of the net, taking day by day each opponent. It’s a tough challenge. I’m enjoying every moment on the court. 

“There have already been a couple of upsets. So, let’s see what’s coming. I’m very happy to still be here. Hopefully, I can play as many matches as possible.”

In Monday’s fourth round, Sinner will face No. 14 seed Tommy Paul of the United States for a place in the quarterfinals. Playing in front of a full house on Louis Armstrong Stadium Saturday afternoon, Paul defeated 143rd-ranked qualifier Gabriel Diallo of Canada, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (3), in three hours and 26 minutes.

Paul became the fourth American man to move into the fourth round – joining No. 12 seed Taylor Fritz, No. 20 seed Frances Tiafoe and 50th-ranked Brandon Nakashima – after hitting 40 winners to overcome 50 unforced errors. Paul outpointed Diallo 159-127.

Healthy again, Muchova is back into the second week of another major

Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic advanced to the second week of a major for the seventh time with her 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 38 Anastasia Potapova of Russia on the Grandstand Saturday afternoon. The 52nd-ranked Muchova, who was sidelined for 10 months following her 2023 US Open semifinal run after undergoing right wrist surgery, struck 24 winners during her 73-minute victory. The 28-year-old Czech has not dropped any sets through her first three rounds of competition.

“I had the surgery, and I didn’t know if I will play or not,” Muchova told reporters. “I’m just really grateful honestly that I’m here, that I can play, that I’m pain-free.”

Next, Muchova will face No. 5 seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who continued her fine run of form in majors this summer following her third-round 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 30 seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in one hour and 33 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium. She hit 22 winners and converted four of six break points while taking advantage of 33 unforced errors by her opponent. It was Paolini’s 18th Grand Slam victory of 2024 and it’s her first time into the fourth round at the US Open.

Paolini is also the first Italian women in the Open Era to reach at least the fourth round of all four majors in the same calendar year.

During her on-court interview, the diminutive 5-foot-4 Paolini was asked about facing an opponent of a similar height. She said: “We are few that are so short, so it’s good sometimes to play somebody as short as me! I think it’s nice also to have short people playing tennis. Come on guys, it’s nice!”

Around the US Open

• No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula of the United States defeated No. 74 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, in 70 minutes to reach the fourth round of the US Open for the third straight year. Pegula won 89 percent of her first-serve points and outpointed her opponent 67-42.

• Next, the American No. 2 will face 18th seed Diana Shnaider, whose amazing season keeps getting better. The 20-year-old Russian lefty reached the fourth round of a major for the first time in her young career after defeating 37-year-old Sara Errani of Italy, ranked 96th, 6-2, 6-2. She hit 31 winners and outpointed her opponent 60-40.

• Fourteen years after reaching World No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark — now 34 — is through to the fourth round of the US Open. Currently ranked No. 71, Wozniacki defeated 143rd-ranked French qualifier Jessika Ponchet, 6-3, 6-2, in 75 minutes on the Grandstand.

Wozniacki became the eighth player in the Open Era to reach the US Open fourth round at 34 years old or older. She’s the first to do it since Serena Williams in 2020. According to the WTA Tour, others to achieve the feat include: Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Nancy Richey, Virginia Wade, and Venus Williams.

• Tomas Machac had to come back from 0-5 down in the fifth set at Wimbledon to beat Belgian David Goffin. Fast forward to Saturday at the US Open, where the 39th-ranked Czech star had a simpler time against No. 78 Goffin, winning 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the fourth round against 25th-seeded Jack Draper of Great Britain, who easily handled No. 74 Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, behind 13 aces and 33 winners.

• Both the men’s and women’s top-seeded doubles teams are safely through to the third round. Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina defeated Alexander Erler of Austria and Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands, 6-3, 7-6 (5), while Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand beat Catherine Harrison of the United States and Alicja Rosolska of Poland, 7-5, 6-4.

Saturday’s US Open results

Sunday’s US Open order of play

By the numbers

• Friday’s third-round singles match between No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and No. 29 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia on Arthur Ashe Stadium didn’t start until 12:08 a.m. Saturday morning, making it the latest start in US Open history. Sabalenka won 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in an hour and 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, next door at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina were on court until 2:35 a.m., the second-latest finish in tournament history, behind Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz‘s 2:50 a.m. Quarterfinal conclusion in 2022. Zverev advanced with a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 win in three hours and 36 minutes.

• Jack Draper is just the third British man in the Open Era to reach the US Open fourth round in successive years, joining John Lloyd and Andy Murray.

• With defending champion Novak Djokovic eliminated, it’s been 16 years since a man has successfully defended the US Open title. The last to do so was Roger Federer, who won the US Open title from 2004-08.

“Quotable …”

“Congratulations to him and his team. He definitely played better and deserved to win today. On my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. I mean, I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever.”

— Defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic, during his post-match news conference, following his 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 third-round loss to Alexei Popyrin of Australia Friday night. It was Djokovic’s earliest US Open defeat since 2006.

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