US Open | Murray out in 3rd round; Serena plays at night

Andy Murray’s latest Week 1 exit at a Grand Slam tournament has not let him down. The three-time major champion still feels he can be the best in men’s tennis – even after two hip operations, despite going years without getting past the third round of the sport’s biggest events.

After a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (1), 6-3 defeat at the US Open against 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berettini on Friday, Murray chose to look on the bright side.

“I have a metal hip. It is not easy to play with it. It’s really hard. I’m surprised I can still compete with the guys at the top of the game,” said the 35-year-old Murray, head resting on his left hand. “Matches like this, I’m really proud to have worked in the position I’ve been able to. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get over the line today. But he reminded me, ‘This is the first time you have gone to the third round here since 2016.’ It’s been six years. It’s been a difficult six years for me.

Hours before 23-time Grand Slam title winner Serena Williams meets Ajla Tomlanovic in the third round, Berettini is a big hitter who has reached the 2019 semifinals at Flushing Meadows in almost every statistical way at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

18-year-old American Coco Gough, who reached the final of the French Open in June, advanced to the fourth round of the US Open for the first time with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Madison Keys. 2017 runner-up in New York and 20th seed this year.

Goff’s match ended an hour before Williams-Tomljanovic started — and the youngster looked little further.

“I knew she was on my side of the draw,” Gough said of Williams, whom she cites as an idol and an inspiration and would love to get the chance to face. “We both hope to win. It has always been my dream to make that happen.”

Gauff will now meet Zhang Shui, who eliminated Rebecca Marino 6-2, 6-4.

In other action during the day’s session, Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabir 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 No. 31 Shelby came back to avoid an early exit by a higher-seeded woman who finished first, defeating Rogers. Week in the last major game of the year. Like 2021 champion Emma Raducanu and 2021 runner-up Leila Fernandez, the no. 2 Annette Kontaveit (lost to Williams), no. 3 Maria Sakkari and no. 4 Paula Badosa left; No. 1 Iga Switek and no. 5 Jabir offered as much as expected.

Jabir reached the fourth round in New York for the first time since 2019 when he went 0-3 in the third round.

“Finally,” Jabir said. “I know I’m not the best on hard courts, but it’s always amazing to see how I’m improving, pushing my limits.”

She next plays 18th-ranked Veronika Kudermetova, who took just 47 minutes to beat Dalma Galfi 6-2, 6-0.

13th-seeded Berrettini hit more aces than unseeded Murray on Sunday to face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 18-5, 55-24 overall winners and earned 15 break points, converting five, facing only four.

Murray’s summation: “I did very poorly for most of the match.”

He won his first Slam trophy at the US Open in 2012, then added titles at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, becoming the first Briton to win there since the 1930s. Murray rose to No. 1 in the rankings in 2017; It was also the last time he reached the fourth round of a major at the All England Club.

The first trial against him came in early 2018 and many, including Murray, assumed he would have to retire. A second surgery to install a metal implant came in January 2019.

“A lot of people said I would never play again. Many people told me that I could hit tennis balls but would never compete professionally again. That’s nonsense,” he said Friday, “and I want to see how close I can get to the top of the game.”