US Open: Alcaraz, Djokovic progress but Shelton out due to injury

Ben Shelton’s US Open run ended successful tears aft helium withdrew mid-match with a enarthrosis wounded helium called the “worst pain” of his life, portion milestone antheral Novak Djokovic battled done his ain carnal struggles to scope the 4th round.

Canadian Open champion Shelton was locked successful an entertaining contention with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino connected Friday successful Louis Armstrong Stadium erstwhile his tourney abruptly unravelled.

“I conscionable did thing to my shoulder, I don’t cognize what it is. I’m successful a batch of pain,” the American sixth effect told his begetter and manager Bryan during a aesculapian timeout.

As left-hander Mannarino fought backmost to level the lucifer astatine 2 sets all, a devastated Shelton wiped distant tears earlier withdrawing up of the decider, leaving fans gasping.

Shelton’s compatriot, 17th effect Frances Tiafoe, mislaid 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) to big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff astatine the Grandstand, portion 10th effect Emma Navarro went down 4-6, 6-,4 6-4 to unseeded Czech Barbora Krejcikova successful different upset.

As the younger procreation nursed their wounds, 38-year-old Djokovic was making past nether the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Serb recovered from a little backmost occupation to sound retired Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3, eliminating the past remaining Briton successful the men’s gully and becoming the oldest antheral to scope the past 16 astatine Flushing Meadows since Jimmy Connors successful 1991.

The four-time US Open victor besides surpassed Roger Federer to go the antheral with the astir hardcourt victories astatine the majors with his 192nd win, inching person to a grounds 25th Grand Slam title.

“I’m good, man. I’m arsenic young arsenic ever and beardown arsenic ever,” said Djokovic aft his battling victory.

Novak Djokovic, aft beating Cameron Norrie (not pictured) connected time six of the 2025 US Open tennis tourney [Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images/Reuters]

Earlier successful the day, 2021 champion Emma Raducanu fell 6-1, 6-2 to Elena Rybakina astatine the aforesaid Louis Armstrong Stadium that witnessed Shelton’s anguish, arsenic British hopes successful the women’s gully ended with objective ratio from the Kazakh.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz weathered his ain wounded scare, overcoming genu concerns to dismantle Italian Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0.

“It was conscionable the crippled that helium broke my serve, connected the past constituent aft the service … I conscionable felt thing successful the knee,” said Alcaraz, who took a precautionary aesculapian timeout but allayed concerns with a devastating display.

“It was bothering me. But aft five-six points, it was gone. I was disquieted aft that. That’s wherefore I asked for the physio. It was thing serious, truthful conscionable for precaution.”

Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka knocked retired Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 7-6(2) to erase the sting of her 2021 US Open semifinal upset astatine the hands of the Canadian.

“I truly wanted this revenge,” three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka said. “I’m precise blessed with the win.”

Elsewhere successful the women’s draw, 4th effect Jessica Pegula progressed with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph implicit doubly Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and was joined successful the 4th circular by erstwhile Wimbledon victor Marketa Vondrousova, who bushed Italian seventh effect Jasmine Paolini 7-6(4), 6-1.

The past 16 volition besides diagnostic unseeded American Taylor Townsend, who precocious with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph implicit 5th effect Mirra Andreeva successful different monolithic upset.

Shelton, contempt his heartbreak, refused to wallow successful self-pity erstwhile helium faced the media.

“I’ve been beauteous fortunate with my life: blessings, talents, a batch of things God’s fixed me,” helium said.

“You won’t perceive maine implicit present pouting astir however atrocious things are with the summertime that I’ve had, the things I’ve been capable to bash successful this athletics successful a abbreviated magnitude of clip and the radical I got astir me.”

Fourth effect Taylor Fritz lifted immoderate of the gloom with a gritty 7-6(3), 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-4 triumph implicit Switzerland’s Jerome Kym successful the past lucifer astatine Ashe, becoming the lone remaining American antheral successful the past 16.

He whitethorn beryllium joined successful the adjacent circular by 14th-seed Tommy Paul, who faces Alexander Bublik connected Saturday.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies