NEW YORK: Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu last night showed that she intends to be a formidable force in the women’s game with a 6-4 6-4 win over former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the third round of the US Open.
Andreescu’s in-your-face style of tennis overwhelmed the Dane on a warm and sunny day on Arthur Ashe Stadium as she reached the last 16 on her US Open debut.
Next up for the 19-year-old Indian Wells and Rogers Cup champion is a meeting with American Taylor Townsend, who defeated Sorana Cirstea.
Earlier, Townsend vowed to ride her surprise run “all the way” ahead of a blockbuster showdown between defending champion Naomi Osaka and teen phenom Coco Gauff.
Townsend, ranked 116th, followed up her shock win over reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep by beating another Romanian, Cirstea, 7-5, 6-2.
“I didn’t know that many people had my phone number,” Townsend said when asked how she coped in the wake of her Halep upset.
Deepest
The 23-year-old Townsend is enjoying her deepest run, surpassing her third-round showing on debut at the 2014 French Open.
“I made third round before but it was in another country. I got a lot of messages. It was a lot of love. My phone started dialing 911 by itself, I dont know what that was about. I just tried to keep my head on straight.”
“I’m going to take it as far as I can,” she added. We’re going to ride this thing all the way.”
Andreescu, meanwhile, continued to make serene progress on her first Flushing Meadows main draw appearance.
Belgian 25th seed Elise Mertens swept into the fourth round for a second year running with a 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.
n Early this morning, Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev was fined $9,000 for a slew of offenses during his third round win over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez on Friday night.
The fine brings the temperamental Medvedev’s tally up to $19,000 through his first three matches at Flushing Meadows.
The 23-year-old was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he angrily snatched a towel from a ball person and $4,000 for giving his middle finger to the crowd, who booed him throughout his clash with the popular Lopez.
n Nadal in last 16 n Koepfer enjoying ‘unreal’ US run n Last night results - Page 21