The Latest: American Rogers sets record for longest match

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year (all times local):

___

7:10 p.m.

American Shelby Rogers beat Daria Gavrilova 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in three hours and 33 minutes, setting the record for the longest women’s match in U.S. Open history.

After Gavrilova’s backhand sailed long on match point, the 62nd-ranked Rogers raised her arms and then put her hands to her face and broke into tears. She said after the match that it didn’t feel like the longest ever at Flushing Meadows but that now she knows that, “I’m going to be sore.”

The 20th-ranked Gavrilova, who actually outpointed Rogers 133-132, had high hopes coming into the U.S. Open after winning the final tuneup event in New Haven, Connecticut.

Rogers next faces No. 4-seeded Elina Svitolina.

Previously, the longest women’s match at the tournament was in the 2015 second round when Johanna Konta downed Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-2 in 3:23.

___

6:30 p.m.

Roger Federer managed to pull out his second five-set victory in a row at the U.S. Open, coming back to edge 101st-ranked Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

It was a much tougher test than might have been expected, considering that Federer entered the match 16-0 against Youzhny and 16-0 in second-round matches at Flushing Meadows.

Federer won five consecutive U.S. Open championships from 2004-08 and also was the runner-up twice, including two years ago.

Youzhny is a former top-10 player who reached the U.S. Open semifinals in 2006 and 2010. His level of play dipped considerably over the last two sets Thursday as he appeared to be restricted by a leg cramp.

The 36-year-old Federer was not quite himself for much of the match, either. He committed 68 unforced errors and appearing slowed by a bad back that he tweaked earlier in August.

Federer also needed five sets to win in the first round Monday night against 19-year-old American Frances Tiafoe.

___

5:55 p.m.

Roger Federer is heading to another fifth set at the U.S. Open.

Federer took the fourth set against 101st-ranked Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 to force a decider in their second-round match.

Federer had won the opening set 6-1, then dropped the next two 7-6 (3), 6-4.

In the first round, Federer needed five sets to get past 19-year-old American Frances Tiafoe.

Federer won Wimbledon in July without dropping a single set during his seven matches there.

___

5:15 p.m.

Roger Federer is trailing two sets to one against Mikhail Youzhny in the U.S. Open’s second round.

Federer won the opening set 6-1, then dropped the next two 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Federer entered this match with a 16-0 career record against Youzhny — and a 16-0 mark in the second round at Flushing Meadows.

___

4:20 p.m.

A player involved in a match at another tournament that’s under scrutiny because of unusual betting patterns eliminated No. 15 seed Tomas Berdych to reach the U.S. Open’s third round.

Alexandr Dolgopolov pulled off the big win Thursday at Flushing Meadows, beating 2010 Wimbledon runner-up Berdych 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Tennis Integrity Unit spokesman Mark Harrison said the group “was made aware of concerns over betting patterns” during the match between Dolgopolov and Thiago Monteiro at Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Aug. 20. The match is being assessed but is not yet under formal investigation, Harrison said.

Harrison notes that many reasons other than corruption can explain unusual betting patterns.

___

4:05 p.m.

No. 7 seed Grigor Dimitrov became the latest top-10 man to bow out of the U.S. Open, upset in the second round by 19-year-old Russian Andrey Rublev.

The 53rd-ranked Rublev eliminated Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-3 to reach the third round at a major tournament for the first time.

Dimitrov is a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist who had been playing well leading into Flushing Meadows. He had won 13 consecutive sets heading into Thursday, dating to the Cincinnati Masters, where he won his first title at the tour tier just below the majors.

Against Rublev, Dimitrov double-faulted 11 times and converted only 2 of 10 break points.

Dimitrov’s exit raises to six the number of members of the ATP’s top 10 who are out of the field in New York already. No. 2 Andy Murray, No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, No. 5 Novak Djokovic and No. 10 Kei Nishikori all sat out the U.S. Open with injuries, and No. 6 Alexander Zverev lost to 18-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the second round Wednesday night.

___

3 p.m.

No. 1 Karolina Pliskova has advanced to the third round by rallying for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Nicole Gibbs.

Pliskova turned around the match after a slow start to avoid becoming the fifth player among the top seven seeds to be eliminated.

The Czech has plenty more to do if she wants to keep the No. 1 ranking. She has to reach the final, or win the title if Garbine Muguruza loses in the semifinals.

___

2:20 p.m.

No. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova has forced a third set in her match against American qualifier Nicole Gibbs.

Pliskova won the second set 6-3 after Gibbs took the first set 6-2.

Pliskova needs to reach the final to remain atop the rankings — or win the title if Garbine Muguruza loses in the semifinals.

___

2 p.m.

The U.S. Open is sold out for all day sessions for the next four days.

The U.S. Tennis Association says the U.S. Open box office has sold out of all tickets — including grounds passes — for all day sessions from Thursday through Sunday.

The USTA adds that fans are urged not to come to the box office at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and instead search Ticketmaster for verified resale tickets.

Tickets remain for day and evening sessions on Labor Day Monday, along with day sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

___

1:49 p.m.

Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova is the latest top women’s player to have a tough time at the U.S. Open.

Pliskova dropped the first set 6-2 to qualifier Nicole Gibbs of the U.S. in her second-round match.

The women’s field has already lost No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 5 Carolina Wozniacki, sixth-seeded and defending champion Angelique Kerber, and No. 7 Johanna Konta.

Pliskova lost to Kerber in last year’s final.

___

1:09 p.m.

On her way out of the U.S. Open, Caroline Wozniacki criticized the big-stadium treatment of Maria Sharapova.

The fifth-seeded Wozniacki, who was eliminated by Ekaterina Makarova on outside court 17 Wednesday night, told Ekstrabladet TV that she felt it was “unacceptable” that Sharapova had both her matches scheduled in the 23,000-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Sharapova was granted a wild card into the U.S. Open, her first Grand Slam appearance since serving a 15-month doping ban.

Said Wozniacki: “Someone who comes back from a drugs sentence and performance-enhancing drugs, and all of a sudden gets to play every single match on Center Court, I believe is a questionable thing to do.”

___

12:30 p.m.

American Jennifer Brady is into the third round of her U.S. Open debut after routing No. 23 Barbora Strycova, 6-1, 6-1.

Brady had failed to qualify the previous three years but is making the most of her first appearance in the main draw.

It’s the 22-year-old Brady’s second time into the third round at a Grand Slam this year. She made it to the round of 16 at the Australian Open in January.

Brady raced to a 5-0 lead in the second set but was broken while serving for the match. She promptly broke back to finish off the victory in 56 minutes.

___

11:20 a.m.

Doubles play has begun at the U.S. Open, with the top-seeded men’s team among the first on the court.

The team of John Peers of Australia and Henri Kontinen of Finland is facing Americans William Blumberg and Spencer Papa.

Peers and Kontinen have won two titles this year, including the Australian Open championship in January.

___

10:35 a.m.

Roger Federer looks for his 80th U.S. Open victory, while Rafael Nadal also is in second-round action.

A number of players will be on the court for a second straight day Thursday after almost all of Tuesday’s action was postponed by rain.

Federer and Nadal did get their matches in that day under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, so they both had Wednesday off. Federer used his time to practice at Central Park .

The five-time U.S. Open champion faces Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in an afternoon match. An 80th victory would break a tie with Andre Agassi and leave Federer behind only Jimmy Connors’ 98 victories at the U.S. Open.

Youzhny was a semifinalist at Flushing Meadows in 2006 and 2010, but he’s 0-16 lifetime against Federer.

The top-ranked Nadal faces Japan’s Taro Daniel in the second night match at Ashe.

___

More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.