The latest third-round updates from Flushing Meadows
Keys and Anisimova both start with a hold, but while Keys comes through the opening game reasonably comfortably, to 30, Anisimova has to save two break points at 15-40 before edging through from deuce.
“It’s so wide open,” says Martina Navratilova on Sky Sports about the women’s draw, and I’m in total agreement with her – though I’m not sure even if I did disagree that I’d have the gumption to argue with Martina. Sabalenka, Gauff, Rybakina, Andreeva, Swiatek, Pegula, Anisimova … you really could take your pick. And that’s without even mentioning the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, the two-time US Open winner Naomi Osaka, the ever-improving Marta Kostyuk and the rising Iva Jovic and Alexandra Eala. I think this year is too soon for Jovic and Eala – especially as the winner of their match later could face Gauff in the last 16 – but the strength and depth at the top of women’s game is seriously impressive.
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