Aryna Sabalenka finally got rolling after a bad beginning to the latest-starting match in US Open history, regrouping to beat No. 29 Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the fourth round.
The No.2 seed didn’t start until late into the night and had dropped the first set barely a half-hour later. But she seized control early in the second set, winning 10 straight games to open a 5-0 lead in the third.
The runner-up last year in Flushing Meadows eventually won the match at 1:48 am (local time), tied for the second-latest ending to a women’s match at the US Open, and advanced to face No. 33 seed Elise Mertens on Sunday.
Jessica Pegula’s strong serving and smothering defense led to a textbook 6-3, 6-3 win over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Saturday. Fifth seed Jasmine Paolini got the better of Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4.
Top seed Jannik Sinner marched into the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Christopher O’Connell.
Indians win
Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti advanced to the men’s doubles third round with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over 15th seeds Austin Krajicek and Jean-Julien Roger.
Second seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden also moved to third round with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena and Federico Coria.
However, N Sriram Balaji and his Argentine partner Guido Andreozzi lost to Michael Venus and Neal Skupski 6-7 (4-7), 4-6.