US Open 2021: Ash Barty knocked out after third-round defeat to Shelby Rogers

Ash Barty has spoken to the media after throwing away a spot in the US Open fourth round in the upset of the tournament.

Ashleigh Barty has been bounced out of the US Open in the third round. Picture: AFP

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty has suffered a heartbreaking third-round defeat to Shelby Rogers to end her US Open campaign.

The top-ranked Barty looked home and hosed with a 5-2 advantage in the third set before suffering a stunning collapse as Rogers — the last American hope in the women’s draw - pulled off an incredible comeback in front of a raucous New York crowd to prevail 6-2 1-6 7-6 (7-5) following a tense third set tiebreak.

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Ashleigh Barty has been bounced out of the US Open in the third round. Picture: AFP

“It’s never nice when you have a couple opportunities to serve out a match and can’t get it done,” Barty said. “Six in the third is brutal, It’s a tough one to swallow.

“I found a way to really turn it in my favour and just wasn’t able to just quite finish off. It’s disappointing but we’ll move on.”

The 25-year-old Australian fell one round shy of matching her deepest US Open run. It’s the only Slam where she hasn’t reached the semi-finals.

“I feel like the Slams you’re kind of building up to it and afterwards there’s a reset,” Barty said.

“We reset now. We go back to the drawing board, work out what we want to do for the rest of the season.”

Ash Barty scrambles to make a backyand return against Shelby Rogers.

Barty won titles this year at Miami, Melbourne, Stuttgart and Cincinnati as well as her second Grand Slam crown despite being away from her homeland since February.

“The last six months have been a roller coaster,” Barty said. “I’m proud of myself and my team for all the efforts we’ve put in. It has been pretty incredible. I don’t think we could have asked for much more honestly. I wouldn’t change a thing.

“With all of the tough moments we’ve had, it has created some of the most enjoyable experiences. I’ve learned so much about myself, about them, the way that we work together. It’s been truly an incredible six months.”

Shelby Rogers produced a stunning third-set comeback to march into the second week of the US Open. Picture: Getty

Barty said she took some positives from the match but won’t linger on the loss.

“There’s a lot that’s disappointing, but a lot that’s positive,” she said. “Not a match I’ll dwell on for too long in the sense that there are so many ‘what ifs.’ Millimetres could have changed things.

“You accept that in tennis. That’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes and you move on it from it pretty quick.

“I just didn’t quite have enough physically or mentally in the tank. But that’s OK ... I sleep well tonight knowing I gave everything I could. It just wasn’t quite enough.

“We’re looking forward to celebrating the good stuff we’ve done, learning from the hurt, learning from the experiences, and moving on.”

Rogers will next face 150th-ranked British qualifier Emma Raducanu, an 18-year-old who routed Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 6-1 in 70 minutes.

“I didn’t want to leave,” Rogers said.

“I just said make balls, try to stay in this match, it can’t get any worse, you’ve lost to her every time.”

DJOKER PRIMED FOR HISTORIC SLAM

Novak Djokovic says he’s in “good position” to complete the first men’s singles calendar-year Grand Slam in 52 years by winning four more matches to capture the US Open.

The world No.1 rallied past Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in three hours and 32 minutes to reach the fourth round on the New York hardcourts.

The 34-year-old Serbian star said it was his winning his second French Open title this year, his “Mount Everest” of Slam crowns, that convinced him a one-year Slam sweep was possible.

“After I won in Paris this year, I felt like, ‘OK, I like my chances on grass, I won two Wimbledons in a row, I’ve improved over the years on grass — it did not seem impossible anymore to go for all four in a row in the same year,” Djokovic said.

“So here I am. I’m in a good position to do that. Still in the tournament. But I’ve got to take one match at a time.”

Novak Djokovic powers past Japan's Kei Nishikori.

With a fourth career US Open trophy, Djokovic would complete the first men’s singles sweep of major titles in the same year since Rod Laver in 1969.

Djokovic also chases history in quest of his 21st career Grand Slam title, which would break the deadlock for the men’s record he shares with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, both absent with injuries.

Next up for Djokovic will be a first meeting with 99th-ranked US wildcard Jenson Brooksby, who outlasted Russian 21st seed Aslan Karatsev 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Brooksby, 20, eliminated Karatsev on the Russian’s 28th birthday, becoming the youngest American in the US Open last 16 since Andy Roddick in 2002.