US Open 2021: Monfils, Berrettini win, Hurkacz is subject to Seppi
While Matteo Berrettini and Gael Monfils made it through to the third round of the US Open, Hubert Hurkacz, one of the promising players in the second row, was eliminated.
by Jens Huiber
last edit:
Sep 03, 2021, 12:52 am
Günter Bresnik had dressed warmly for the match of his protégé Gael Monfils in the Luis Armstrong Stadium. Yesterday the Frenchman's 35th birthday was celebrated in a small group, and on Thursday work called again. Namely Steve Johnson, who is also slowly on the home stretch of his career. Away games are never easy, Monfils and Bresnik know that, of course. But Johnson wasn't good enough that afternoon to really get the fans going. Or the other way around: Gael Monfils played his usual qualities, kept the upper hand with 7: 5, 4: 6, 6: 4 and 6: 4.
The next opponent of Monfils might be Jannik Sinner. The South Tyrolean had his hands full with Zachary Svajda, an 18-year-old local hero, especially in the second set. Sinner is currently still playing.
Berrettini and Seppi win
Two other Italians also created a good mood - in different roles. While Matteo Berrettini lived up to his role as favorite in his four-set win against Corentin Moutet, veteran Andreas Seppi - like Sinner a South Tyrolean - delivered a real surprise against Hubert Hurkacz. Seppi won 2: 6, 6: 4, 6: 4 and 7: 6 (6) and plays in round three against Oscar Otte, the German qualifier.
Aslan Karatsev delivered a brilliant performance. The Russian, who sensationally reached the semi-finals in Australia at the beginning of the year, was already 2-0 down against Jordan Thompson and seemed on the safe path to defeat. With the beginning of the third round, however, Karatsev began to play a little more consistently. That he won the tiebreak 11: 9 in the fourth set was of course not unfortunate. But Thompson robbed the last nerve. Karatsev won 3: 6, 3: 6, 7: 5, 7: 6 (6) and 6: 1. His next opponent will definitely be an American: either Jenson Brooksby or Taylor Fritz.
Here is the single tableau at the US Open 2021
nycmap