Third seed Alexander Zverev’s US Open campaign came to an abrupt end on Saturday as the German star was bundled out in the third round by Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in a four-set thriller.Zverev, the 2020 runner-up at Flushing Meadows, started strong and even held a set point in the second set, but failed to convert as Auger-Aliassime roared back to claim a 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 6-4 victory after three hours and 48 minutes of gripping tennis.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The result marked Zverev’s earliest US Open exit since 2018, compounding a difficult season that also saw him crash out of Wimbledon in the first round — his shortest Grand Slam campaign in six years.For Auger-Aliassime, the triumph was a statement win. The 25th seed, who reached the semi-finals at the US Open in 2021, defeated a top-five player at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
“This feels good. I’ve been coming here since 2018. I’m still young, it’s been a few years but I’m working my way,” Auger-Aliassime said. “The tournament’s still going, the job’s not done but this means a lot to me.”Auger-Aliassime will next face Russian 15th seed Andrey Rublev in Monday’s fourth round.Elsewhere, defending champion Jannik Sinner kept his title defence alive with a comeback win over Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. After dropping the opening set, Sinner rallied to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. “I was in a very difficult moment… I just tried to stay there mentally,” said the world number one, who now awaits either Tommy Paul or Alexander Bublik.In the women’s draw, Iga Swiatek showed grit to recover from 1-5 down in the first set and oust Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, while American favourite Coco Gauff cruised past Magdalena Frech to set up a blockbuster last-16 clash with former champion Naomi Osaka.
