With a number of shocks already hitting the men’s and women’s draws at this year’s US Open, Elina Svitolina and Jelena Ostapenko have bucked the trend by making assured progress into the third round.
4th seed Svitolina defeated Evgeniya Rodina 6-4, 6-4, and 12th seed and Roland Garros champion Ostapenko also defeated Romania’s Soran Cirstea by the same scoreline. Meanwhile, another seed fell this time at the hands of a home player.
Svitolina waits for the winner of the match between American Shelby Rogers and 25th seed Daria Gavrilova. Svitolina’s side of the draw has remained largely unaffected by the number of shocks that have already engulfed the tournament with one notable exception. Her seeded quarter-final opponent was due to be defending champion and 6th seed Angelique Kerber, but the German was stunned in the first round by Naomi Osaka. Dangers including Madison Keys and Elena Vesnina potentially wait in the fourth round for Svitolina.
Kerber has not been the only seed to be knocked out in the first rounds. 2nd seed Simona Halep was knocked out by wildcard entrant and former champion Maria Sharapova in a blockbuster match on Monday night, whilst Britain’s 7th seed Johanna Konta was also knocked out in three sets, clearing the bottom quarter of the draw of both seeded quarter-finalists in one evening.
Ostapenko is now the danger player for Svitolina as a potential quarter-final opponent after Kerber’s exit. Ostapenko is now the only seed remaining in that section so conceivably has a clear run to meet Svitolina in a quarter-final. It is the first time that Ostapenko has reached the third round of the US Open.
The United States’ Jennifer Brady caused a shock by thrashing 23rd Barbora Strycova to make the third round. Brady won 6-1, 6-1 in under an hour.
