Third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime became the highest seed to exit the U.S. Open as Karen Khachanov ousted the Canadian, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Thursday in the second round at New York.
Khachanov, ranked as high as No. 8 in 2019, was winless (0-3) on hard courts this summer and unseeded for the final grand slam of the season. Now down to No. 50 in the current rankings, the 30-year old generated 20 break points and converted on seven to prevail in three hours, 20 minutes.
Khachanov took a 3-2 lead in the head-to-head series.
Auger-Aliassime had withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Toronto last month because of a back injury. He did reach the fourth round in Cincinnati, but did not appear to be moving well in the latter part of his final match at the event.
“I am not sure but maybe he had some physical issues and that is part of our sport,” Khachanov said in his on-court interview. “I wish him to feel better and speedy recovery if he is injured, I don’t know. What I can say from my side is I tried to give my best performance. Fighting and I am super happy to get this win.”
The first set featured two breaks of serve apiece, but none in the final four games. With the tie-breaker tied at 5-5, Auger-Aliassime broke Khachanov, then captured the next point on-serve to take a 1-0 lead.
But Khachanov would break his foe in each of the Canadian’s first service game of the final three sets and ended up cruising to the victory.
He pounded 37 winners to 30 unforced errors, while Auger-Aliassime countered with 43 winners, but 47 unforced miscues.
Khachanov next will France’s Benjamin Bonzi, who got past 32nd-seeded Ignacio Buse of Peru 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-0.
Sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia followed Auger-Aliassime to the exit, falling 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 to the Netherlands’ Botic Van De Zandschulp.
No. 5 seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy had 43 winners and 10 aces while overcoming a slow start and posting a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 triumph over Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate.
Cobolli committed just 18 unforced errors while Schoolkate had 29 winners and 29 unforced errors. Both players committed four double faults.
No. 9 Taylor Fritz rolled to a 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Italy’s Mattia Bellucci. Fritz had a 28-9 edge in winners and saved all three break points he faced.
Australian wild card Dane Sweeny smacked 36 winners while taking down No. 13 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy. Musetti committed 40 unforced errors, seven double faults and converted just 3 of 10 break points to aid Sweeny’s 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 upset win.
It was a huge victory for the 25-year-old Sweeny, who had never previously even participated in qualifying for the U.S. Open. He now has notched back-to-back tour-level wins for the first time in his career.
“I’m so grateful to even be able to compete in Grand Slams,” the 5-foot-7 Sweeny said on-court. “I’ve put a lot of work in. The tennis journey is such a roller coaster. I’m so incredibly grateful to play in front of such an awesome crowd, and to soak up this moment and get a couple wins, it’s awesome.”
No. 14 Learner Tien ended the Grand Slam career of Gael Monfils, prevailing 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Monfils, who won Tuesday on his 40th birthday, plans to retire later this year.
No. 17 Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic sailed to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Austria’s Jurij Rodionov. No. 21 Luciano Darderi of Italy knocked off Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4.
No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina notched a 5-7, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff, while No. 25 Alejandro Tabilo of Chile rallied for a 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-2 win over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin.
Two seeded Belgians advanced. No. 28 Alexander Blockx beat Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, and No. 31 Zizou Bergs toppled the Netherlands’ Jesper de Jong 7-5, 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
In the last match Thursday night (and early Friday morning), top-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany pushed past France’s Quentin Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3. It was the second straight five-set, late-night marathon for Zverev, who sealed his latest win at 2:15 a.m. following a 4-hour, 33-minute battle.
–Field Level Media
