By Creeson Downey, Darren Walton and Frank Pingue
World No.1 Iga Swaitek has ended Daria Saville’s US Open campaign with a hard-fought second-round victory over the Australian while Swiss Dominic Stricker secured the biggest win of his career with a thrilling five-set upset of Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Saville drove Swiatek mad at times with her relentless retrieving and crafty tactics before the defending champion prevailed 6-3, 6-4 to extend her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to nine matches.
Saville’s departure leaves Ajla Tomljanovic as the lone Australian remaining in the women’s draw.
The 2022 quarter-finalist plays fourth-seeded Australian Open runner-up Elena Rybakina later on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) for a place in the third round.
Saville only resumed playing in June after nine months out recovering from a torn ACL.
But the one-time top-20 star defied her ranking of No.322 in the world to put the top seed through the wringer on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Iga Swiatek is now unbeaten in nine matches at the US Open.Credit: Getty
Saville upset Swiatek with clever drop shots, lobs and moon balls to drag the four-time grand slam champion out of her rhythm and draw 22 unforced errors from the title favourite.
Swiatek was even hit with a time violation after exceeding the clock shot trying to serve out the match after one particularly lung-busting rally to bring up match point.
Saville, though, ultimately paid the price for a lack of second-serve firepower.
She won only one point from 18 after failing to land her first serve, enabling Swiatek to break her three times and eventually close out the contest after one hour and 33 minutes.
Daria Saville’s second serve ultimately came back to haunt her in New York.Credit: AP
“For sure it wasn’t easy,” Swiatek said. “The rhythm of the match was really weird so I’m happy that I just tried to play my game and play aggressively with a lot of tenacity. I’m just happy to be in the third round.”
Swiatek next faces Slovenia’s world No.145 Kaja Juvan on Friday for a spot in the last 16.
Earlier, playing in his first US Open main draw, world No.128 Stricker used a massive serve, booming forehand and solid net play during a gruelling four-hour encounter in which he broke the Australian Open finalist six times for his first top-10 win.
“I came out today pretty well. I felt good from the first set on. It was a tough battle but I am just super happy right now,” said Stricker, who won 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-6), 6-3. “I am going to enjoy the rest of the day and then I will recover for the next round.”
Dominic Stricker en route to the biggest win of his career to date.Credit: AP
For Tsitsipas, who won an ATP 250 title in Los Cabos in early August but then went a combined 1-2 at Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, the loss marked another early US Open exit after falling in the first round last year.
Tsitsipas had a chance to serve for the match while leading 5-3 in the fourth set but Stricker stepped up with the break en route to forcing a decider where he consolidated an early break with a hold to love for a 3-0 lead that sent him on his way.
“I was down 3-5 and then I came back in the fourth set. I don’t know how, but I did it somehow and then I kept playing very high-level tennis. I am a bit speechless but it is a great day,” said the 21 year-old Stricker. “Such a great day for me, such a great win. It gives me a lot of confidence and I think it is great to see from my team. We are working hard every day and it is so great to do that.”
Novak Djokovic overcame some minor early issues to cruise past Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 as he continues his hunt for a 24th grand slam title.
AAP, Reuters
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