US Open nightcap: Sabalenka, Ruud, Mertens mount comebacks; Nakashima to face Zverev

Under the lights, Alexei Popyrin sent shockwaves across Arthur Ashe Stadium by ousting defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic over four sets. It was undoubtedly the story of the day, but there was plenty that happened before and after the game-changing moment Friday evening—and into Saturday.

Ekaterina Alexandrova looked to follow suit with an upset bid against the returning women’s finalist. Aryna Sabalenka had won her last 14 sets coming in, but made twice as many unforced errors as the Russian across the first eight games to find herself playing catchup. The world No. 2 regrouped beautifully, taking back control by pressuring Alexandrova’s first serve to pull away, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.

“I was just trying to stay as low as possible. I was just trying to put as many balls as I can back on that side, because she played incredible tennis in the first set. It was really tough to change it,” Sabalenka told the crowd afterwards.

The two-time Australian Open champion now gets the woman she partnered here to the 2019 doubles crown, Elise Mertens, in the round of 16.

The Belgian was two points from bowing out to Madison Keys at 4-5, 30-30 in the second set, before battling past the home hopeful, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4, in two hours and 50 minutes. Had Keys prevailed, it would have set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal that Sabalenka won in dramatic comeback fashion.

Earlier, 2022 men’s runner-up Casper Ruud dug in to deny Jerry Shang a fourth-round place. The No. 8 seed turned the tide to move forward, 6-7 (1), 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1. In the final three sets, Ruud staved off all seven break points he faced in setting a clash with top-ranked American Taylor Fritz. The No. 12 seed rolled over Francisco Comesana, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Brandon Nakashima continued his budding North American summer hard-court swing by extending his best run at Flushing Meadows. The San Diego native ousted his second Top 20 seed of the week, eliminating No. 18 Lorenzo Musetti, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

In the fourth set, Nakashima erased a 0-4 deficit and engineered an immediate mini break in the tie-break that proved to be the difference maker.

“The first few games, 4-1, 4-2, they were pretty long games. I was able to squeeze those out and just kind of got that belief back that I was able to come back in the set and eventually tie it up,” the 23-year-old shared with press.

With Musetti and Djokovic joining Carlos Alcaraz in being sent packing, none of the men’s singles medalists from the Paris Olympics reached the second week at the season's final Grand Slam event.

At 2:35 a.m. Nakashima’s next opponent was confirmed. Inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, 2020 finalist Alexander Zverev officially closed out Day 5 play when he finished off Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 7-5, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3. The No. 4 seed broke Etcheverry for the eighth time in the final game to seal his 100th career major match win.