Top Players Clash in Thrilling Third Round of the U.S. Open 2024

The U.S. Open enters the third round on Friday, showcasing the world’s elite tennis players as they vie for Grand Slam glory in New York.

Defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic is set to face Australia’s Alexei Popyrin, while the women’s titleholder Coco Gauff is scheduled to compete against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina. Additionally, an all-American clash will see Ben Shelton take on Frances Tiafoe, rekindling their rivalry from last year’s quarter-finals.

In the highly anticipated match between Shelton and Tiafoe, Shelton has emerged victorious in both of their previous encounters, although each victory was hard-fought. Shelton expressed his eagerness for the match, stating, ‘These are the type of matches that I love, that I live for … it will be a war just like the last two times we’ve played.’ He acknowledged Tiafoe’s popularity with the crowd, referring to it as ‘electric.’

Tiafoe, in turn, shared his respect for Shelton, anticipating a challenging match ahead. He praised Shelton’s formidable serve and added humorously, ‘He’s young, funny, cracks jokes. Just about as immature as I am.’

In the women’s match, Gauff is looking to improve her record against Svitolina. Svitolina previously defeated Gauff in straight sets during their first encounter in 2021. However, Gauff turned the tables in their most recent meeting at the Auckland Open, winning after coming back from a set down.

Djokovic, who won the championship last year, is currently navigating difficulties with his serve this tournament, despite not having dropped a set. The Paris Olympics gold medallist acknowledged, ‘I haven’t really been serving well the first two matches here, so I’m still kind of trying to find that rhythm and tempo on the serve.’

As the tournament progresses, excitement builds among tennis fans, eagerly awaiting the results of these thrilling matches and the prospects of their favorite players.