US Open Day 7: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek knocked out in huge upset

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been sent packing in a mega US Open upset that has thrown the women’s draw completely wide open.

Aussie Rinky Hijikata’s fairytale run at the US Open is over after he was absolutely crushed by flashy American Frances Tiafoe on Monday morning. .

The unheralded Aussie was blasted off the court in less than two hours.

There was plenty of drama in the earlier matches on a big day for the United States.

2pm - World No. 1 Swiatek knocked out

Defending champion and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has been knocked out of the US Open by Jelena Ostapenko in a stunning fourth round upset.

Ostapenko fought back to win 3-6 6-3 6-1 to book her place in the quarterfinals.

The Latvian kept her remarkable record of never losing to Swiatek in tact.

The shock result means there is no clear cut favourite for the women’s singles title now, with local American hopes Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys among the contenders.

Ostapenko takes on Gauff in the quarterinfinals.

Todd Woodbridge said on Channel 9: “I think she could win the US Open if she continues that ball striking.”

The upset also means Aryna Sabalenka has taken over Swiatek as the World No. 1, ending Switatek’s stranglehold on the top ranking since she took the mantle from Ash Barty March last year.

Jelena Ostapenko knocked Iga Swiatek out of the US Open. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The defending champ will lose her top ranking. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP.

12pm - Djokovic on fire

Novak Djokovic has swept past Croatia’s Borna Gojo in straight sets to book his place in the quarter-finals of the US Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion outclassed world No.105 Gojo to win 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in 2hr 26min on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Djokovic will now face American ninth seed Taylor Fritz on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals as he chases a record-extending 24th Grand Slam title.

The 36-year-old Serbian star had been given a scare in the third round on Friday, forced to recover from a two-set deficit before beating compatriot Laslo Djere in five sets.

But there never looked like any chance of Gojo causing Djokovic similar difficulties on Sunday, with the Croatian earning just one break point throughout the match.

Djokovic made only 12 unforced errors throughout the match compared to Gojo’s tally of 40, and broke his opponent five times on his way to a clinical victory.

9am - Aussie’s run comes to a brutal end

America will have a male player in the semi-finals at the US Open after Frances Tiafoe joined Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals with a thumping win over Aussie Rinky Hijikata.

Hijikata was up against it right from the start with the rowdy New York crowd cheering against him right from the start as he tried to spoil the host country’s big day.

As an underdog in all his previous matches, Hijikata had been warmly received by the locals, but that all changed when he came up against the American cult hero.

Tiafoe was rarely challenged and raced through the match 6-1 6-1 6-4 in less than two hours.

Hijikata appeared to be struggling on his serve in the second set with some tennis commentators suggesting he had suffered a minor side strain injury that was preventing him from reaching his top serving speeds.

His run in New York is still his best result in a grand slam and he will debut in the top 100 in the ATP Tour rankings for the first time when the rankings are updated next week.

Rinky Hijikata has a mountain to climb. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images.

Frances Tiafoe brought the crowd to their feet. Photo by Ed JONES / AFP.

Hijikata at one point became frustrated in the third set and complained to the chair umpire.

It was unclear exactly what had unsettled the Aussie but Channel 9 commentator Brenton Speed said it appeared that the overhead “spidercam” impacted his vision.

“That’s a shocker,” Hijikata said.

“An absolute shocker. I’m getting chopped as it is, I don’t need that happening.”

7.30am - Coco Gauff snaps at TV commentator

American teen star Coco Gauff has slapped down her coach and courtside TV commentator Brad Gilbert in the middle of her tense fourth round win over Caroline Wozniacki.

Gauff came back from a break of serve down in the deciding set before rattling off the final six games of the match to win 6-3 3-6 6-1.

When she was on the brink of collapse it was her coach that was on the receiving end of her frustrations.

It has been a very rough day for the American TV figure, who was also given a whack for his advice given to American Tommy Paul in the middle of his defeat earlier on Monday morning.

Coco Gauff took it all out on her coach. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP.

Gauff was heard telling Gilbert where he could shove his advice after she went down a break of serve in the second set against the comeback queen.

“Please just stop,” Gauff was heard telling Gilbert late in the second set.

His advice was also ignored early in the third set when Wozniacki grabbed a break of serve in the first game of the set.

"Let’s not try to go through her. Play with shape and air" - Brad Gilbert (who did not stop).

Coco Gauff: [blasts winners through Wozniacki on consecutive points and breaks back]

— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) September 3, 2023

The win means Gauff is the first American teenager to reach back-to-back US Open quarterfinals since Serena Williams (1999-2001)

She will play the winner of world No. 1 Iga Swiatek’s match with Jelena Ostapenko.

Gauff was asked about the obvious tension between her and those sitting in her players’ box during her on-court interview.

“Sometimes I tell [my coaches] to chill a little bit because I like to figure things out for myself,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s a stress reaction.”

6.30am - Courtside TV commentator gives star bad advice

Unseeded American Ben Shelton took down 14th-seeded compatriot Tommy Paul in four sets on Monday morning reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year.

The 20-year-old Shelton avenged his loss to Paul in the last eight of the Australian Open, winning 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to become the youngest American to reach the men’s quarter-finals in New York since Andy Roddick in 2002.

“Being at home here in front of an American crowd, I felt the love all week,” said Shelton. “It’s hard to believe that I’m playing on Arthur Ashe right now with the stands completely full.”

The world number 47 plays the winner between 10th seed Frances Tiafoe and Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata for a place in the semi-finals.

Ben Shelton put on a show. Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA.

Shelton arrived at his second US Open with a tour-level record of 12-20 this season, having failed to win multiple matches at any of the 18 events he had played since Melbourne.

Nine of his 16 victories in 2023 have now come at Grand Slams. Shelton reached the second round at Wimbledon after losing his opening match at the French Open.

He belted two serves clocked at 149 mph (240 km/h) — the fastest of the tournament — to open up a 4-1 lead in the third set against Paul but then lost five games on the spin.

Ben Shelton hits a 149mph serve…

And then DID IT AGAIN 🚀

📹 - @usopen#USOpen

pic.twitter.com/f7MNmH29RN

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 3, 2023

Paul was so bamboozled by the Shelton serve that Shelton was able to make some light-hearted jokes in the middle of the match. He said Brad Gilbert, who coaches Paul and also works as a courtside TV commentator, was giving Paul bad advice.

Ben Shelton, to his box: “He [Paul] is p***** right now. Brad [Paul’s coach) is telling him the wrong spots on my serve, I can tell” 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/KfeVS0Dz5b

— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) September 3, 2023

5.30am - Veteran’s 14-year wait for quarter-final appearance

Veteran Romanian Sorana Cirstea reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in 14 years on Sunday, defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in straight sets to advance to the last eight at the US Open.

Cirstea, 33, who last played in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam at the French Open in 2009, prevailed 6-3, 6-3 to ease past her 15th-seeded opponent.

It is only the second time in 59 appearances in the main draw of a Slam event that 30th seed Cirstea has made it into the quarter-finals.

The Romanian, who upset fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the third round on Friday, will play Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

US Open results Day 7

Men’s fourth round -

Ben Shelton (USA) bt Tommy Paul (USA x14) 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

Frances Tiafoe (USA x10) bt Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4

Women’s fourth round -

Sorana Cirstea (ROU x30) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x15) 6-3, 6-3

Karolina Muchova (CZE x10) bt Wang Xinyu (CHN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1

Coco Gauff (USA x6) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

— with AFP