Tennis fans were treated to two major upsets on day 3 of the US Open: Tsitsipas beaten by Stricker and Ruud by Zhang.
The Ruud upset seemed quite likely. He struggled versus Nava in round 1 and, compared to 2022, he’s been underperforming, with the exception of his RG final showing. Zhang seemed a likely upset artist. He bothered Ruud at RG and he has the type of game that can take Ruud out – powerful, attacking tennis.
Zhang won the first set with some conviction. In the second set, it seemed his nerves would get the better of him as he let break chances slip one after the other. Ruud took that set though he was never the better player. Zhang then won the third but dropped the fourth to love. Zhang left the court at the end of the fourth and returned to take the fifth 6-2.
The Tsitsipas upset was far more shocking. He’d handled the resurgent Raonic with some ease in round 1. Stricker is an explosive and formidable talent, a former Next Gen champ, and he stepped his game up to take Tsitsipas out.
Something about New York unsettles the Greek. He couldn’t serve out the match at 5-3 in the fourth. In the fifth, Stricker seemed determined to get the upset, edging a tight final set.
Tsitsipas has now had pretty rough losses to Coric, Alcaraz and now Stricker in the US Open first week. He’s never done well there despite his hard court skills.
Elsewhere, there were further upsets – Vesely defeated Cerundolo (20) in a gripping five setter, 7-6 in the fifth. Cerundolo served for the match but Vesely would not give in. Meanwhile Bonzi upset Wimbledon quarter finalist Eubanks in four sets. This was an especially surprising win for Bonzi considering Eubanks was playing in front of his home crowd and has been in decent form.
Tommy Paul (14) came back from 0-2 to defeat Safuillin.
Shelton advanced as a sickly Thiem had to withdraw with illness after losing a tightly contested first set.
The defeats of Ruud and Tsitsipas leave the bottom half of the draw in an uncertain place. These two were the most notable potential challenges to Djokovic. However, the potential of either of them actually beating him were low. He very much has both their numbers. For Djokovic, the lesser known players with less history of losing to him in big events are more dangerous. By the time they reach him, they will be match fit and with nothing to lose having already far exceeded their expectations.
Djokovic being upset before the final is still very unlikely to happen, but in a way these upsets have made it more possible.
Tennis is so weird.
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