Fifth seed Alexander Zverev overcame a slow start to dispatch France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-2 6-2 in a US Open match that was delayed by health officials for more than 2-1/2 hours.
The third-round clash was originally scheduled to start at 2.30 pm local time on Louis Armstrong Stadium but was pushed back while the United States Tennis Association conducted a “collaborative dialogue” with health officials.
Mannarino was placed under an “enhanced protocol plan” after coming in contact with fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire, who pulled out of the tournament having tested positive for COVID-19.
When the players finally arrived on court at 5.15pm, Mannarino claimed the opening set in a tiebreak as an untidy Zverev posted 26 unforced errors.
But the German rediscovered his rhythm in the second set to find a way past Mannarino’s serve in the 10th game, unleashing a blistering forehand winner to get to one set apiece.
With momentum on his side, Zverev converted a further five break points opportunities to book a last-16 spot for the second consecutive year in New York.
Denis Shapovalov won the battle of North American young guns by grinding out a 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 win over Taylor Fritz to also into the fourth round.
The match played out exactly as one would expect from two of tennis’s rising talents with the Canadian Shapovalov and American Fritz engaged in a seesaw tussle.
The entertaining 3-1/2 hour match in an empty Arthur Ashe stadium ended with 21-year-old Shapovalov back in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows for the first time since he made his US Open debut in 2017.
The big-serving Fritz had a chance to serve out the match at 5-3 in the fourth but Shapovalov grabbed the break he needed to drag the set to a tiebreak which he won.
In the decisive fifth set it was the Canadian’s serve that made an impact, Shapovalov laying down seven aces to just one from Fritz.
“I was struggling serving because he was putting his racket on everything and he was playing so solid,” said Shapovalov, who has taken the long route to the last 16 with his opening two matches going four sets.
“In the fourth set when I was down a break I was able to loosen up and got the rhythm back on my serve.
“I was really happy with the way I served especially that last set.”
Recharged by his rally, it was the Canadian who raced ahead 3-0 in the fifth before closing out the contest with another break when Fritz’s return sailed long.
Next up for Shapovalov is Belgium seventh seed David Goffin who was a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 winner over Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic.
