US Open updates from Day 3: Nick Kyrgios causes a stir with six words

Nick Kyrgios has raised eyebrows with an apparent cold-blooded comment about rival players in an act that has got fans fired up.

The US Open has been rocked by the devastating sight of Dominic Thiem being forced to retire in distress during his second round match on Thursday morning.

Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic were the big stories early in the day’s play with all three exiting the tournament in sad scenes.

The big names had no problems cruising through with Novak Djokovic and women’s No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek both powering trough with barely a scratch to show from their straight-sets second round victories.

There has also been a momentous result for Aussie men’s tennis with Rinky Hijikata moving through to the third round — where Alex de Minaur and Chris O’Connell will hope to join him in their matches on Friday.

12pm - Kyrgios causes a stir with six words

Nick Kyrgios has poked the bear at the US Open with a tweet that appeared to belittle rival players.

The Australian on Thursday responded to a tweet by appearing to laugh at the section of the men’s singles draw that his good friend Taylor Fritz is in.

The drama unfolded when tennis journalist Jose Morgado shared a screenshot of the draw which has been left wide open following the early exits of Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 28 seed Christopher Eubanks.

Kyrgios replied to the tweet by saying he doesn’t know who some of the players are.

Who are some of these guys 😂

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 31, 2023

The injured former Wimbledon finalist’s comment has been met with anger from some fans, who have reminded Kyrgios that most of the players that appear in the photo are ranked above his position as the No. 134 player listed on the ATP Tour Rankings.

Those mentioned in the section of the draw include:

— 21-year-old Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker, ranked No. 128 in the world

— World No. 108 Benjamin Bonzi, who upset Eubanks; and

— Czech 17-year-old Jakub Mensik (ranked No. 206) who defeated French player Titouan Drouget

It has not been lost on some fans that Kyrgios has been playing Pokemon rather than sport this year, having missed all four grand slams as a result of injuries.

One fan responded to Kyrgios by posting: “These are guys that actually play on tour”.

Another wrote: “Idk but they’re all ranked higher than you buddy”.

One fan responded: “They are playing real tennis in NY while you’re playing videogames at home”.

The section of the draw being discussed is in the same quarter as Novak Djokovic.

9.15am - Aussie stuns New York

Aussie Rinky Hijikata has put himself in the ATP Tour top 100 for the first time in his career after a stunning upset win over world No. 57 Marton Fucsovics.

The 22-year-old is through to the third round of a grand slam for the first time after running away with an easy 6-1 6-2 6-1 victory that took less than two hours on Thursday morning.

Hijikata will face either fifth seed Casper Ruud or China’s Zhang Zhizhen in the third round.

9am - Aussie pulls out at 11th hour

Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic pulled out of her second round match against No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina just hours before the match was scheduled on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

US Open tournament officials announced Tomljanovic withdrew as a result of injury, but did not disclose the nature of the injury.

According to reports, Tomljanovic was unable to overcome an injury to her right arm.

It was Tomljanovic’s first tournament of 2023 after battling a series of injuries in the past 12 months.

8.45am - Thiem doubles over

Thiem, however, became the focus of the tournament after he retired when trailing 6-7 1-0 in the second set against American Ben Shelton.

Thiem had pulled out of a recent tournament with gastroenteritis.

He appeared to still be visibly unwell on Thursday and looked worse as the match progressed.

After returning from a bathroom break Thiem was heard telling his coach his body tried to make him vomit, but nothing came out.

Dominic Thiem retires against Ben Shelton at the US Open due to some type of abdominal issue.

He was hunched over on the bench & talking to the physio.

He said he threw up before the match.

Domi has made so much progress these last few months.

Such a shame. 💔 pic.twitter.com/jN2FPzAjOp

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 30, 2023

The Austrian star told the chair umpire about his distress and shared some graphic details about what his body was experiencing.

“I’m completely f***ed,” he said.

“I feel so s***.”

He was heard telling his coach he had vomited before the match started.

After shaking hands with Shelton at the net, Thiem retreated to his chair and doubled over.

The 2020 US Open champion has had a miserable run with a series of injuries, including chronic wrist pain, and had recently appeared to be getting back to his best.

Dominic Thiem was clearly distressed. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images.

7.45am - Tsitsipas knocked out as nightmare continues

Another big story was happening out on the Grandstand Court as Tsitsipas crumbled in the fifth set against Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker.

The Greek seventh seed’s miserable run at the US Open has now extended to another year — the Australian Open finalist has never progressed past the third round at Flushing Meadows.

Leading tennis journalist Jose Morgado summed up the surprised reactions from across the tennis world by posting “Wow” on Twitter after Stricker won match point.

Tsitsipas served for the match in the fourth set, but was knocked out when Stricker, 21, pulled off an 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 upset win after more than four hours on court.

Hello darkness my old friend. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images.

Dominic Stricker collapsed after his big win. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.

Tsitsipas was at one point issued a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after an exchange with the chair umpire.

The argument appeared to be about a delay of game violation being called.

“It’s not fair, and you would say the same if you were playing. It’s not fair,” he was heard saying.

5am - Novak untouchable in second round win

Novak Djokovic maintained his blistering US Open form to race into the third round with a straight sets defeat of Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

The second-seeded Serbian superstar, eyeing a record-extending 24th Grand Slam singles title at these championships, booked his place in the last 32 with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“At 36 years of age, after 20 years of coming to New York, I still have the hunger to play my best tennis on this court,” he said.

“I have the experience and understanding of what needs to be done in the important moments. Preserving the energy and focusing on the present moment.”

Djokovic needed just 1hr 59 minutes to dispose of Zapata Miralles and will now face fellow Serb Laslo Djere on Saturday for a place in the last 16.

5am - Top seeds on fire in women’s draw

World number Iga Swiatek eased into the third round with a comfortable straight sets defeat of Australia’s Daria Saville.

The Pole is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend her US Open crown since Serena Williams won a hat-trick of titles from 2012-2014.

“It wasn’t easy but I’m happy I tried to play my game and play aggressively with a lot of intensity and I’m just happy to be in the third round,” said Swiatek, aiming for her fifth Grand Slam triumph.

Swiatek will now play Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan on Friday for a place in the last 16.

American Coco Gauff, 19, brushed aside 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the youngest player in the draw, 6-3, 6-2 to continue her strong run on hard courts this summer after titles in Washington and Cincinnati.

The sixth seed, viewed as one of the favourites in New York, takes on Belgium’s Elise Mertens for a place in the last 16 after getting the better of Andreeva for the second time in three Grand Slams.

“I just learned to be aggressive, because if you give her something she is going to take advantage,” said Gauff, who overcame Andreeva in three sets at Roland Garros in June.

“She has a great future in front of her - I think she is going to be back on this stage many more times.”

Results from Day 3 of US Open

Men second round -

Rinky Hijikata (AUS) bt Márton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-1, 6-2, 6-1

Adrian Mannarino (FRA x22) bt Fabian Marozsan (HUN) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1

Frances Tiafoe (USA x10) bt Sebastian Ofner (AUT) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4

Tommy Paul (USA x14) bt Roman Safiullin (RUS) 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP x21) bt Juan Manuel Cerundolo (ARG) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3

Ben Shelton (USA) bt Dominic Thiem (AUT) 7-6 (7/1), 1-0 - retired

Aslan Karatsev (RUS) bt Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)

Dominic Stricker (SUI) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x7) 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3

Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) bt Christopher Eubanks (USA x28) 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7)

Borna Gojo (CRO) bt Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x20) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10/6)

Laslo Djere (SRB x32) bt Hugo Gaston (FRA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-3

Novak Djokovic (SRB x2) bt Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) 6-4, 6-1, 6-1

Women second round -

Iga Swiatek (POL x1) bt Daria Saville (AUS) 6-3, 6-4

Kaja Juvan (SLO) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-3

Bernarda Pera (USA) bt Wang Xiyu (CHN) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

Elise Mertens (BEL x32) bt Danielle Collins (USA) 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1

Coco Gauff (USA x6) bt Mirra Andreeva (RUS) 6-3, 6-2

Elena Rybakina (KAZ x4) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) - walkover

Sorana Cirstea (ROU x30) bt Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 6-3, 6-4

Zhu Lin (CHN) bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR x18) 6-3, 6-3

Belinda Bencic (SUI x15) bt Lily Miyazaki (GBR) 6-3, 6-3

Karolina Muchova (CZE x10) bt Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-3, 6-3

Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA x19) 7-6 (7/1), 7-5

Wang Xinyu (CHN) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) bt Rebeka Masarova (ESP) 7-6 (7/0), 6-2

— with AFP