Aussie Rinky Hijikata’s fairytale run at the US Open is over after he was absolutely crushed by flashy American Frances Tiafoe on Monday morning. .
The unheralded Aussie was blasted off the court in less than two hours.
There was plenty of drama in the earlier matches on a big day for the United States.
AUSSIE’S RUN COMES TO SHUDDERING HALT
America will have a male player in the semi-finals at the US Open after Frances Tiafoe joined Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals with a thumping win over Aussie Rinky Hijikata.
Hijikata was up against it right from the start with the rowdy New York crowd cheering against him right from the start as he tried to spoil the host country’s big day.
As an underdog in all his previous matches, Hijikata had been warmly received by the locals, but that all changed when he came up against the American cult hero.
Tiafoe was rarely challenged and raced through the match 6-1 6-1 6-4 in less than two hours.
Hijikata appeared to be struggling on his serve in the second set with some tennis commentators suggesting he had suffered a minor side strain injury that was preventing him from reaching his top serving speeds.
His run in New York is still his best result in a grand slam and he will debut in the top 100 in the ATP Tour rankings for the first time when the rankings are updated next week.
GAUFF RIPS INTO TV COMMENTATOR
American teen star Coco Gauff has slapped down her coach and courtside TV commentator Brad Gilbert in the middle of her tense fourth round win over Caroline Wozniacki.
Gauff came back from a break of serve down in the deciding set before rattling off the final six games of the match to win 6-3 3-6 6-1.
When she was on the brink of collapse it was her coach that was on the receiving end of her frustrations.
It has been a very rough day for the American TV figure, who was also given a whack for his advice given to American Tommy Paul in the middle of his defeat earlier on Monday morning.
Gauff was heard telling Gilbert where he could shove his advice after she went down a break of serve in the second set against the comeback queen.
“Please just stop,” Gauff was heard telling Gilbert late in the second set.
His advice was also ignored early in the third set when Wozniacki grabbed a break of serve in the first game of the set.
The win means Gauff is the first American teenager to reach back-to-back US Open quarterfinals since Serena Williams (1999-2001)
She will play the winner of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s match with Jelena Ostapenko.
Gauff was asked about the obvious tension between her and those sitting in her players’ box during her on-court interview.
“Sometimes I tell [my coaches] to chill a little bit because I like to figure things out for myself,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s a stress reaction.”
COURTSIDE COMMENTATOR GIVES BAD ADVICE
Unseeded American Ben Shelton took down 14th-seeded compatriot Tommy Paul in four sets on Monday morning reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year.
The 20-year-old Shelton avenged his loss to Paul in the last eight of the Australian Open, winning 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to become the youngest American to reach the men’s quarter-finals in New York since Andy Roddick in 2002.
“Being at home here in front of an American crowd, I felt the love all week,” said Shelton. “It’s hard to believe that I’m playing on Arthur Ashe right now with the stands completely full.”
The world number 47 plays the winner between 10th seed Frances Tiafoe and Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata for a place in the semi-finals.
Shelton arrived at his second US Open with a tour-level record of 12-20 this season, having failed to win multiple matches at any of the 18 events he had played since Melbourne.
Nine of his 16 victories in 2023 have now come at Grand Slams. Shelton reached the second round at Wimbledon after losing his opening match at the French Open.
He belted two serves clocked at 149 mph (240 km/h) — the fastest of the tournament — to open up a 4-1 lead in the third set against Paul but then lost five games on the spin.
Paul was so bamboozled by the Shelton serve that Shelton was able to make some light-hearted jokes in the middle of the match. He said Brad Gilbert, who coaches Paul and also works as a courtside TV commentator, was giving Paul bad advice.
VETERAN’S 14-YEAR QF WAIT FINALLY OVER
Veteran Romanian Sorana Cirstea reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in 14 years on Sunday, defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in straight sets to advance to the last eight at the US Open.
Cirstea, 33, who last played in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam at the French Open in 2009, prevailed 6-3, 6-3 to ease past her 15th-seeded opponent.
It is only the second time in 59 appearances in the main draw of a Slam event that 30th seed Cirstea has made it into the quarter-finals.
The Romanian, who upset fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the third round on Friday, will play Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
US Open results Day 7
Men’s fourth round –
Ben Shelton (USA) bt Tommy Paul (USA x14) 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Women’s fourth round –
Sorana Cirstea (ROU x30) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x15) 6-3, 6-3
Karolina Muchova (CZE x10) bt Wang Xinyu (CHN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
— with AFP
