US OPEN By Gabriel Matteazzi
Frances Tiafoe is one of the players to watch at the US Open 2023, but today he had to endure a lot to secure victory against Adrian Mannarino. The local player didn’t display his best tennis and needed more than two and a half hours to secure his spot in the round of 16 of the home Grand Slam. Finally, Tiafoe triumphed 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, and 7-6(6), and he will now face Rinky Hijikata, who defeated Zhizhen Zhang.
Tiafoe didn’t play his best tennis, appeared somewhat hesitant during long rallies, and couldn’t find a way to harm Mannarino, who defended with all he had. The Frenchman, true to his style, was a wall and showed that his determination was greater than Tiafoe’s power. This is how he dominated the first set, but Mannarino’s performance declined from the second set onwards.
The American took control of the match thanks to his winning shots. Mannarino, on the other hand, deteriorated his shots, and unforced errors became a constant during the second and third sets. In the fourth set, with Mannarino’s desperation and Tiafoe’s relaxation, the match became even, and it all went to a tiebreak. There, Mannarino managed to save a match point, but ultimately, the American secured the victory and a spot in the round of 16.
Taylor Fritz (9th in the ATP) advanced to the round of 16 at the US Open after defeating Jakub Mensik (206th) with a convincing score of 6-1, 6-2, and 6-0. With this victory, there are now four American tennis players in the fourth round of the American tournament.
Photos Gabriel Matteazzi New York