Venus Williams into the quarter-finals
Venus leaps out to a 0-40 lead on her opponent’s serve - Suarez Navarro saves one match point but a beautiful drop-volley sends Venus through - a quarter-final and a new niece. Not a bad few days for the veteran.
Venus looks like she’s cruising to victory but as she serves to make it 5-1 she double faults, and Suarez Navarro lives to fight another day (point). A few point later, she makes no mistake and she is one game from a quarter-final place.
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The moment I type that, Venus goes up a couple of gears and breaks emphatically to lead 2-1 in the final set.
Venus is not playing well here. At the moment Suarez Navarro looks much more assured and accomplished.
Suarez Navarro wins the second set 6-3! Venus Williams goes long with a backhand, and the match is level. That was a superb set from Suarez Navarro, almost flawless.
Suarez Navarro is keeping Venus at arms length in this set, and has been at least one break up since the first game: 3-0, 3-2, 4-2, 4-3, 5-3. And now she has a set point on the Williams serve...
A vital hold from Suarez Navarro, who was in trouble at 15-30 before composing herself to move 4-2 ahead.
Kevin Anderson has closed out the second set against Paolo Lorenzi, and is one away from the quarter-final. Meanwhile, Venus Williams has got one break back against Carla Suarez Navarro but trails 3-2 in the second set.
An early break in the second set for Suarez Navarro, and also for Kevin Anderson on Armstrong. He leads Paolo Lorenzi 6-4, 4-2. Make that a double break for Suarez Navarro, who is 3-0 ahead.
Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report on the end of Maria Sharapova’s US Open.
Venus Williams breaks again to take the first set 6-3. She’s halfway to what would be a humdinger of a quarter-final against either Petra Kvitova or Garbine Muguruza.
Diego Schwartzman beats Lucas Pouille 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2. He was a break down in that fourth set before running away with the match. Back on Arthur Ashe, Venus Williams has re-broken Suarez Navarro to lead 4-3.
A wild backhand from Venus allows Suarez Navarro to break back at 3-3. After a nervous start, Suarez Navarro is playing beautifully.
On Armstrong, Kevin Anderson has broken Paolo Lorenzi to take the first set 6-4.
After back-to-back breaks, Schwartzman leads Pouille 4-2 in the fourth set and is two games away from a quarter-final against Pablo Carreno Busta.
Diego Schwartzman has broken back on Grandstand. In the big game on Ashe, Venus Williams leads Carla Suarez Navarro 3-2 with a break.
Pouille is right back in that match now - he has broken early in the fourth to lead 2-1.
Lucas Pouille has won the third set 6-2 against Diego Schwartzman, who now leads by two sets to one.
Venus has got off to a great start against Carla Suarez Navarro. She broke in the first game and now leads 2-0.
Sloane Stephens' meteoric rankings summer surge:
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 3, 2017
Before Toronto: #934
After Toronto SF: #151
After Cincinnati SF: #84
Into #USOpen QF: ~#51
Paolo Lorenzi and Kevin Anderson are under way in their last-16 match. On Grandstand, Lucas Pouille is a break up in the third against Diego Schwartzman, who took the first two sets.
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Next up on Arthur Ashe is another cracking match - Carla Suarez Navarro against Venus Williams.
Anastasija Sevastova beats Maria Sharapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
That’s a brilliant win for the No16 seed in an excellent match, and she will play Sloane Stephens in the quarter-finals. Sharapova saved three match points before finally succumbing.
Diego Schwartzman is two sets up on Lucas Pouille after breaking to win the second set 7-5.
A beautiful slice from Sevastova gives her a break point for 5-2 - and she takes it after another unforced error from Sharapova.
Sloane Stephens is through to the quarter-finals, where she will face either Sevastova or Sharapova. She beat Julia Goerges 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Next up on Armstrong is Paolo Lorenzi against Kevin Anderson for a place in the men’s quarters.
Sevastova was so dominant at the start of the set, winning 10 points in a row, but suddenly she looks a little edgy. Sharapova, who took a medical timeout at 3-0, has dragged it back to 3-2.
That’s one break back for Sharapova, helped by a couple of double faults from Sevastova. It’s 3-1 in the final set.
Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s report of the first match on Arthur Ashe, when Pablo Carren Busta beat the brilliant teenager Denis Shapovalov 7-6, 7-6, 7-6.
Sevastova is bullying Sharapova in this final set. She holds to love, then breaks to love to move 3-0 ahead with a double break.
Always seemed likely that lack of preparation/emotions of her return would catch up with Sharapova at some stage. Could be now....
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) September 3, 2017
Sharapova is in a bit of trouble here; Sevastova has broken to lead 1-0 in the final set, helped by a couple of double-faults.
There will also be a deciding set on Armstrong, with Julia Georges taking the second 6-3 against Sloane Stephens.
Sevastova serves out the second set with authority, taking it 6-4. Sharapova has been to the well a few times in this tournament, and she’ll need to go again for a deciding set.
Diego Schwartzman takes the first set against Lucas Pouille on a tiebreak. The winner of that match will play Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals. Back on Ashe, Sevastova leads Sharapova 5-3 in the second set.
Sevastova is still in control of the second set, leading Sharapova 4-2. Julia Goerges has broken Sloane Stephens and is 3-0 up in the second set of their match on Armstrong.
The second set is warming up on Arthur Ashe. Sevastova saves a break point and then breaks Sharapova in the next game to lead 2-1.
The match between Lucas Pouille and Diego Schwartzman on Grandstand has thus far gone with serve. Pouille leads 3-2.
On Armstrong, Sloane Stephens has taken the first set 6-3 against autocorrect nightmare Julia Goerges. The winner of that game will play the winner of Sharapova/Sevastova.
Sharapova takes the first set 7-5! It seemed like we were heading inexorably for another tiebreak on Arthur Ashe, only for Sharapova to break Sevastova emphatically and take the set.
Sharapova edges out to 5-4 with a comfortabl-ish hold. Some drama on Armstrong though - Stephens is a triple break-point down but battles back to hold and it’s 2-2. We have a men’s match underway too - Argentina’s greatest Jewish tennis player, Diego Schwartzman, is taking on the No16 seed, Lucas Pouille. The Frenchman has held in the opening game of the match.
That break back has pepped up Sevastova a little - she’s 40-0 up on her serve until a blistering backhand (what’s the forehand equivalent of a blistering backhand? A fizzing forehand?) pulls us back to 40-15. A fizzing forehand then makes it 40-30. A bad backhand gives the game to the Latvian and we’re 4-4. Stephens-Goerges is 2-1 to the American.
Sharapova is inching her way towards the first set - until a bad net cord ends her hopes of taking the game and gives Sevastova a break point. A misplaced volley means we’re back on serve. Sharapova leads 4-3. On Louis Armstrong, Sloane Stephens is leading Julia Goerges 1-0 ... actually make that 1-1. In important news: the sun is out in New York! Break out the sunlotion and shades.
One of the home hopes, Sloane Stephens, is warming up on for her fourth-round match with Germany’s Julia Goerges. The winner of that contest meets whoever comes out on top in this one between Sharapova and Sevastova. There’s a sprinkling of rain but both players are holding their footing. Sevastova hits a nice shot down the line to hold. Sharapova 4-2 Sevastova.
A harder game for Sharapova on her own serve and Sevastova gets advantage to bring up her first break point. The Russia hits a strong serve down the middle though that Sevastova can’t land in play and we’re back to deuce. Sevastova has hit a few weak drop shots today, and another one brings up gamepoint for Sharapova - another good serve helps her hold. Sharapova leads 4-1.
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Two breaks points for Sharapova on Sevastova’s second service game. And Sharapova converts the break point on the first opportunity - a backhand down the line is just too good for the former champion’s opponent. Sharapova leads 3-1.
Sharapova pulls off a left-handed shot as she chases down a lob - not bad for a righthander. She wins the point too. She then wins the game with a lovely drop shot - although disappointingly it’s with her righthand. Still, she holds to love. Sharapova 2-1 Sevastova.
For all Sharapova’s skill and history at Flushing Meadows, Sevastova is the No16 seed and she breezes through her opening service game. It’s 1-1.
Sharapova leaps out to a 30-0 lead in the opening game but Sevastova battles back to deuce. Sharapova goes on to hold but it wasn’t as comfortable as it first looked - the skies are still grey here in NYC but it looks like the threat of rain is gone (source: my window).
I’m going to take a quick lunch break, so the Rt Hon Tom Lutz Esq. will look after you for the next half an hour or so.
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Sevastova and Sharapova are ready to go on Arthur Ashe. Sharapova looks very intense.
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Shapovalov started the hard swing at #161. He leaves it ranked ~#51 with a M1000 SF, a slam R4 and a 19-3 record. Incredible breakthrough.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) September 3, 2017
Grandstand watch Henri Kontinen and John Peers, the No1 seeds in the men’s doubles, have won the first set 7-6 against Mikhail Elgin and Daniil Medvedev.
End of the road for @denis_shapo but what a run. Carreno-Busta just too solid, too good on the big points and in tiebreaks today
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) September 3, 2017
Next up on Arthur Ashe is Anastasija Sevastova against Maria Sharapova.
Carreno Busta beats Shapovalov 7-6, 7-6, 7-6. The game has been so close - apart from the tiebreaks, which Carreno Busta has won with ease. Shapovalov managed only seven points in the three tiebreaks. It’s a noble defeat
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Shapovalov starts the tiebreak with a double fault. Ach!
In a surprising development, the third set has gone to a tiebreak.
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Shapovalov holds with ease to go 6-5 ahead in the third set. He is such fun to watch, so dynamic and irrepressible. Carreno Busta has had a bit more street wisdom and made fewer unforced errors.
Ach! With Carreno Busta serving to stay in the set, Shapovalov makes unforced errors at 15- and 30-all. I suppose at least he’s willing to die by the sword. Carreno Busta holds to make it 5-5.
Roger Federer gets night billing again on Monday at @usopen, Nadal second on Ashe in the day after Pliskova-Brady
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) September 3, 2017
Brilliant stuff from Shapovalov, who saves three break points to eventually hold. He leads 5-4. Whatever happens here, and he’s likely to go out, he has done enough to reinforce the perception that he’s going to be a star.
It’s 4-4 in the third set. Shapovalov is refusing to accept the apparent logic of imminent defeat. He’s like a cockroach that Carreno Busta can’t kill.
Carreno Busta saves two break points and then breaks back in the next game. We’re back on serve, with Shapovalov leading 3-2. That’s a missed opportunity, who won 12 points in a row to move to the cusp of a 4-0 lead.
The rain has stopped and the players are warming up on the outside courts. You can see all the latest scores here. Shapovalov is threatening to run riot in the third set; he holds to love and leads 3-0.
It’s fair to say Shapovalov is not familiar with the concept of throwing the towel in. He leads 2-0 in the third set, after breaking Carreno Busta to love.
Shapovalov hit 15 winners to Carreno Busta’s nine in that set. But he also made 15 unforced errors to Carreno Busta’s ten. That’s the story of the game.
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Carreno Busta wins the tiebreak 7-4 and leads 7-6, 7-6. There isn’t much between them, but the quality of Carreno Busta’s defensive game is proving decisive at the moment.
Carreno Busta leads 4-3 with one mini-break. This is the game, right here.
Shapovalov holds to love, so we’re going to have another tiebreak.
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Still no play on the other courts because of rain. I would have said that earlier had I, you know, been doing my job properly. After a comfortable hold apiece, Carreno Busta leads 6-5 in the second set.
Shapovalov breaks back! Carreno Busta seemed in control, serving for the set at 5-3; then, in the blink of an eye, Shapovalov had three break points. Carreno Busta saved two of them but not the third, with Shapovalov finally ending a superb rally with the kind of smash that brooks not a solitary argument.
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Carreno Busta is playing some majestic tennis now, and a scorching forehand down the line gives him a 5-2 lead in the second set.
At the moment, experience is trumping youth. Shapovalov is still bouncing around full of optimism, however, and an easy hold keeps him in the second set at 2-4.
Carreno Busta breaks again, and now he leads 7-6, 3-1. Shapovalov is starting to look a little lost.
The mood of the match has changed so much in the last 10 minutes. At 6-7, 0-1, this already feels like a big service game for Shapovalov. He holds to 15, a hugely impressive response to a nascent crisis.
Carreno Busta wins the first set 7-6. He romped through the tiebreak 7-2, with some strokes of real authority. Shapovalov, who was serving for the set at 5-3 and had three set points at 6-5, will feel he’s been mugged.
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Carreno Busta did brilliantly to stay in the first set, and now he’s going to win it: he leads 5-1 in the tiebreak.
Carreno Busta saves a third set point before taking the first set to a tie break. He has done brilliantly to stay in this set in the face of a bracing onslaught from Shapovalov.
Shapovalov has wasted two set points on the Carreno Busta serve, the second after the longest rally of the match so far. It’s deuce, with Shapovalov 6-5 ahead.
Another chance for Shapovalov, at 30-30 against serve, but Carreno Busta produces a brilliant lob and goes on to square the set at 5-5.
Shapovalov leads 5-4 in the first set At 5-3 down, a sensational return from Carreno Busta gives him two break points - and he takes the first with a ferocious forehand. It’s back on serve.
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Shapovalov breaks! Carreno Busta nets a backhand to give Shapovalov a 4-2 lead in the first set. It’s an excellent game, and Shapovalov’s energy is threatening to overwhelm Carreno Busta.
Shapovalov leads Carreno Busta 3-2 Shapovalov responds to a first break point against him with an ace. You can’t teach that sort of timing. He is already hitting some punishing forehands, and a couple more ensure another hold.
Carreno Busta has just saved a couple of break points in his first service game, so it’s 1-1 in the first set. Shapovalov has started with a swagger.
‘Oh dear’ department
Sigh. pic.twitter.com/nVmZ8uPvV1
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 2, 2017
John McEnroe on ESPN on Shapovalov: "He's going to win Grand Slams"
— Dan Shulman (@DShulman_ESPN) September 3, 2017
The players are on court. Pablo Carreno Busta is having his right wrist strapped, though he didn’t seem remotely alarmed about that fact. Shapovalov will serve first.
Order of play
Here’s the singles schedule for the afternoon:
Arthur Ashe Stadium (from 11am local/4pm BST)
Denis Shapovalov (Can) v Pablo Carreno-Busta (Esp) [12]
Anastasija Sevastova (Lat) [16] v Maria Sharapova (Rus)
Carla Suárez Navarro (Esp) v Venus Williams (US) [9]
Louis Armstrong Stadium (following two doubles matches)
Julia Goerges (Ger) [30] v Sloane Stephens (US)
Paolo Lorenzi (Ita) v Kevin Anderson (SA) [28]
Grandstand (following one doubles match)
Lucas Pouille (Fra) [16] v Diego Schwartzman (Arg) [29]
Preamble
Hi there. Nothing in sport is quite as exhilarating as the emergence of a brilliant young talent. Even when those players go on to achieve greatness, they are rarely as thrilling to watch as when they first emerge. That’s logical enough, because nothing hits the G-spot of our imagination as consistently as a combination of novelty and infinite potential. Think Scorsese’s Mean Streets, Ronaldo, Mike Tyson, Michael van Gerwen, The Strokes’ Is This It – and maybe, just maybe, Denis Shapovalov.
His emergence in the last month is even more exciting because men’s tennis has been waiting the best part of a decade for a new superstar. Shapovalov, a Canadian who was born in Israel and lives in the Bahamas, has already taken care of Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in straight sets and today he plays the 12th seed, Pablo Carreno Busta in the last 16.
All bets are off in their half of the draw, with Tsonga, Marin Cilic, Alexander Zverev and John Isner all gone. Carreno Busta is the highest seed left in that section, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the top half.
The Shapovalov/Busta match is followed on Arthur Ashe by a cracker between Maria Sharapova and Anastasija Sevastova, and there’s much else to get excited about.
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