No.5 seed Jasmine Paolini advanced to the third round of the US Open for the first time after 2016 runner-up Karolina Pliskova retired just three points into their second-round encounter.
US Open: Scores | Draw | Order of play
The Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist led 30-15 in her first service game when Pliskova pulled up and began limping. The Czech requested medical treatment on her left foot, but was unable to continue.
Paolini will next face No.30 seed Yulia Putintseva, who came from 5-3 down in the second set to defeat Wang Xinyu 6-1, 7-6(4) for the first time in four meetings. The Kazakhstani's variety and placement were on song at the start of the match, which she led 6-1, 3-1, and in the home stretch. Putintseva was also supremely clutch, winning consecutive seven-deuce games to build her first-set lead and then a four-deuce tussle to move up 6-5 in the second set.
However, Wang played her part in a high-quality contest with a four-game purple patch midway through the second set, during which a slew of laser-like backhand winners drew gasps. Putintseva advances to the US Open third round for the third time in her career.
Welcome to the Third Round of the US Open, Ashlyn Krueger 👏 pic.twitter.com/9yMWsEHcY4
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2024
Errani, Krueger, Bouzas Maneiro notch upsets
Paolini was joined in the third round by doubles partner Sara Errani, with whom she won the Paris Olympics doubles gold medal less than a month ago. The 37-year-old, a semifinalist in Flushing Meadows in 2012, defeated Caroline Dolehide 7-5, 7-5 in 1 hour and 50 minutes. Errani's doubles prowess was evident throughout: she won 27 out of 33 points at net, a number that contributed significantly to her tally of 22 winners.
The result puts the Italian into the third round of a major for the first time since the 2021 Australian Open, and at the US Open for the first time since 2015. This tournament marks the 17-year anniversary of her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2007 US Open, when she defeated Renata Voracova to reach the second round before falling to Marion Bartoli.
In a youthful second-round clash, 20-year-old Ashlyn Krueger delivered an emphatic upset of 17-year-old No.21 seed Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-4. The No.59-ranked American needed just 64 minutes to wrap up a seventh career Top 30 win, firing 15 winners and dropping just seven points behind her first serve. Krueger, who had not won a match in six Grand Slam main draws before this week, took advantage of 25 unforced errors from Roland Garros semifinalist Andreeva to reach the third round of a major for the first time.
Así festejan los españoles tras la victoria de Jessica 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/aQ0F0cH6Ai
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2024
From tattoos to horses, five things to know about Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
By contrast, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro is making a habit of upsetting seeds en route to Grand Slam third rounds. The Spaniard memorably took out defending champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round of Wimbledon, and edged No.31 seed Katie Boulter 7-5, 7-5 in 1 hour and 45 minutes to make the third round of a second consecutive major.
Bouzas Maneiro fired 21 winners to Boulter's 17 and displayed greater rally tolerance throughout than the Briton. The World No.74 held off a late charge from Boulter, who cut Bouzas Maneiro's 5-2 second-set lead to 5-5 but was unable to sustain her accuracy in the final two games.
However, No.18 seed Diana Shnaider did make it through, defeating Clara Tauson 6-4, 6-4. The 20-year-old will face Errani as she seeks to make the second week of a major for the first time.