Key events<\/p>\n
Sabalenka is asked how she\u2019s coping with the pressure and expectation: \u201cI\u2019m trying to focus on myself, shut down the noise from outside. I know that way I\u2019ll have my chances, and can bring my best level of tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Aryna Sabalenka beats Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4<\/p>\n Sabalenka serves out to complete a very solid victory. She wasn\u2019t perfect and was tested by her opponent, particularly in the second set \u2013 but ultimately never looked like losing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Jessica Pegula is holding on in the second set at 2-2, with Fernandez missing a chance to break at 30-40. Still a lot of work for the No 3 seed to do.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Back on Louis Armstrong, Rakhimova has been digging in, holding serve to 4-4 \u2013 but from 40-0 up, she swings the door wide open for Sabalenka, who rattles off five points in a row to break and lead 6-3, 5-4. She\u2019ll serve for the match \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Marta Kostyuk beats Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2<\/p>\n A dominant display from Kostyuk, who skips the post-match handshake with her Russian opponent. The Ukrainian has spoken passionately about the conflict many times before, but here she\u2019s asked about fashion and being a \u201cdog mom\u201d instead.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Sorana Cirstea beats Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3<\/p>\n The Romanian missed one match point but converted the next to see off her error-prone opponent. Cirstea is 36 and will retire after this season, but she\u2019s arguably never played better. She\u2019s into the fourth round here for only the second time in his career.<\/p>\n Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. Photograph: Jerry Lai\/IMAGN IMAGES\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.39 EDT<\/p>\n Cirstea breaks Paolini again and will serve for the match at 5-3 up in the second, while Kostyuk keeps the pedal to the metal, breaking Alexandrova to move one game away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n With four women\u2019s third-round matches currently taking place, let\u2019s look at how the draw might pan out. Sabalenka would face Taylor Townsend or Diana Shnaider next, with Kostyuk and Linda Noskova also in her quarter.<\/p>\n Pegula or Fernandez will face Paolini or Cirstea in the fourth round, in a quarter that also includes Elina Svitolina and Karolina Muchova. Potential last-16 blockbusters in the bottom half of the draw include Osaka v Rybakina and Coco Gauff against either Iva Jovic or Alexandra Eala.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kostyuk rediscovers the accelerator, reeling off four straight games to lead 6-3, 4-2 \u2013 and the finish line is in sight for the Ukrainian. Jasmine Paolini was up by a break in the second set, but Cirstea has hit back and leads the match 6-3, 3-3.<\/p>\n Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine Photograph: Yuki Iwamura\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.21 EDT<\/p>\n Pegula is in trouble against Fernandez, who leads 5-1 after breaking the No 3 seed for a second time. Pegula is looking low on energy and ideas so far.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sabalenka escapes a spot of bother on serve, and leads Rakhimova 6-3, 1-1. The defending champion also spoke to the umpire about the smell of cannabis drifting into the Louis Armstrong Stadium from outside. Not entirely sure what the umpire can do, but it\u2019s been a persistent problem at the US Open.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.05 EDT<\/p>\n Alexandrova has bounced back at the start of the second set, breaking Kostyuk to lead it 2-0 after losing the first set 6-3. Fernandez moved 3-0 up and put pressure on the Pegula serve, but the No 3 seed has battled to get a game on the board.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Leylah Fernandez has broken Pegula early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first. You might recall that Fernandez was Emma Raducanu\u2019s opponent in the 2021 US Open final; since losing that match, the Canadian has only gone past the third round at a slam once (the 2022 French Open, where she made the quarter-finals) but has won five WTA Tour titles and is a consistent presence in the world\u2019s top 30. So which career path would you prefer: hers or Raducanu\u2019s?<\/p>\n Leylah Fernandez Photograph: Timothy A Clary\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.19 EDT<\/p>\n Sabalenka takes the first set 6-3, remaining dominant against an opponent who is playing decent stuff. Marta Kostyuk also claims the first set 6-3 over Alexandrova, while Sorana Cirstea has claimed the opener against Paolini by the same score. That feels like an upset, even though Cirstea is seeded higher \u2013 No 16 to Paolini\u2019s 19.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n First up on Ashe: it\u2019s Jessica Pegula v Leylah Fernandez.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s quite fun picturing Monfils working on the accounts, getting deep in a hole before stylishly producing the goods after a four-hour tussle. Are there any other tennis legends who have taken an office job after retiring? Or any other vocation away from sport? Drop me a line with your suggestions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.39 EDT<\/p>\n Ga\u00ebl Monfils played his last grand slam singles match last night, and he isn\u2019t planning to stay in tennis after retirement. \u201cI have a new chapter coming next year. I will work in finance,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cI already signed to work in wealth management in a Swiss company. So my next chapter \u2026 working in an office.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will always have a look on tennis, because I love the sport. My wife\u2019s playing. I don\u2019t think, you know, this next year I will do so much about tennis,\u201d Monfils added. \u201cBut, you know, I\u2019ll be around definitely no matter what for Elina [Svitolina, his wife] a little bit, but I will be more of a finance guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rakhimova is hanging on in the first set, grinding out a hold when Sabalenka mishits. It\u2019s a rare error from the No 1 seed, who has looked close to her relentless best today. She leads 4-2 in the first.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n On the Grandstand court, Marta Kostyuk has also broken at the first time of asking against Ekaterina Alexandrova. Elsewhere, Jasmine Paolini began with an early break but has been pegged back by Sorana Cirstea; the Italian leads 2-1 on serve.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Aryna Sabalenka is up and running, quickly breaking Kamilla Rakhimova to lead 2-0 in the first set. Rakhimova, the world No 92, showed plenty of fight in the first round, though, saving match points before beating Barbora Krejcikova.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what happened yesterday:<\/p>\n