Aussie's rapid rise continues with US upset

Australian Alexei Popyrin has upset 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov to advancement done to the 3rd circular of the US Open.

Popyrin was deed with 2 rainfall delays but did capable to instrumentality the archetypal 2 sets 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) earlier Dimitrov fell down 4-0 successful the 3rd and aboriginal discontinue with a ft injury.

It was Popyrin's 4th triumph implicit a subordinate successful the world's apical 20 with 3 coming this twelvemonth arsenic the 22-year-old's accelerated emergence continues.

Although the Dimitrov's status whitethorn person taken the radiance disconnected the triumph - Popyrin tin inactive clasp his caput precocious aft playing prime tennis which saw him spell up 2 sets to emotion up.

The triumph reminded tennis fans of his 2019 triumph implicit aboriginal US Open champion Dominic Thiem astatine Melbourne Park.

The Australian ne'er took a backward step, pressuring his hostile astatine the nett and dominating done his backhand. Popyrin won galore cross-court rallies forcing Dimitrov into errors.

The triumph means helium volition play 24th-seeded Briton Dan Evans successful the 3rd round.

The victor of that lucifer volition apt look fig 2 effect Daniil Medvedev successful the circular of 16.

Medvedev reached the 3rd circular for the 4th consecutive twelvemonth with a comfy 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 triumph implicit unseeded German Dominik Koepfer.

Russian 5th effect and erstwhile quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev overcame an aboriginal wobble to bushed Spain's Pedro Martinez 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (7-5), 6-1, 6-1.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka precocious to the 3rd circular erstwhile her hostile withdrew due to the fact that of illness.

Alexei Popyrin of Australia returns the shot against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during his Men's Singles 2nd circular lucifer connected Day Three of the 2021 US Open astatine the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center connected September 01, 2021 successful the Flushing vicinity of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) (Getty)

Simona Halep and Garbiñe Muguruza besides reached the 3rd round, ending agelong stretches without occurrence successful Flushing Meadows for the two-time Grand Slam champions.

They were among the fewer players to compression successful victories aboriginal connected a rainy afternoon, erstwhile play started precocious and past was suspended concisely connected the outer courts.

Osaka had been scheduled to look Olga Danilovic of Serbia successful the archetypal lucifer of the time astatine Arthur Ashe Stadium. Instead, the U.S. Tennis Association moved the 12th-seeded Halep's lucifer against Kristina Kucova into that spot.

Halep won 6-3, 6-1 to scope the 3rd circular for the archetypal clip since a quarterfinal quality successful 2016. She was knocked retired successful the archetypal circular successful some 2017 and 2018 — the second the archetypal clip the No. 1 effect mislaid successful the archetypal circular of the U.S. Open.

But she has made a beardown instrumentality aft missing the French Open and Wimbledon with a calf injury.

"Already it's a amended effect than erstwhile I was healthy, truthful it's a bully happening to beryllium successful the 3rd circular here," she joked.

The ninth-seeded Muguruza got past the 2nd circular of the U.S. Open for the archetypal clip since 2017 erstwhile she bushed Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2.

She volition play three-time U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka. The No. 18 effect bushed Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 7-6 (1).

"I deliberation it's going to beryllium a precise hard match. I deliberation she ever plays large here," Muguruza said. "I deliberation that's the best. Just to spell retired determination and play with radical that are apical level."

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a changeable against Marie Bouzkova of Czech Republic during their women's singles archetypal circular lucifer connected Day One of the 2021 US Open astatine the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center connected August 30, 2021 successful the Flushing vicinity of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) (Getty)

Halep and Muguruza — who person won the French Open and Wimblebon — played 2 of the lone matches to commencement connected clip connected a time erstwhile dense rainfall was expected successful the New York area. Puddles filled the grounds astir the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, though rainfall had stopped arsenic fans began to participate for the time session.

The extracurricular courts were bare portion they were being dried truthful play could yet start.

Once they did, fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina bushed Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-5, and No. 20-seeded Ons Jabeur raced to a 6-0, 6-1 triumph implicit Maria Camila Osorio Serrano successful 53 minutes.

Most different players connected the outer courts had to hold retired different hold during their matches, arsenic fans raced for screen erstwhile rainfall returned.

Osaka would person been going for her 17th consecutive triumph successful a Grand Slam match. After missing Wimbledon during a intelligence wellness break, she returned to the majors with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph implicit Marie Bouzkova connected Monday night.

The two-time U.S. Open champion hasn't mislaid a Grand Slam lucifer since Coco Gauff bushed her astatine the 2020 Australian Open.

Danilovic wrote connected Instagram that she was dealing with a viral unwellness unrelated to COVID-19.

The 17-year-old Gauff was acceptable for 1 of the featured matches of the day, facing 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens nether the lights astatine Ashe.

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