Seed No.30 Sorana Cirstea stunned fourth seed Elena Rybakina in a thrilling late-night encounter 6-3 6-7(6) 6-4 to reach the fourth round of the US Open for the first time in her career.
The third-round match in Louis Armstrong Stadium was incredibly entertaining, characterized by thrilling points and a strategically brilliant gameplan executed by Cirstea. While the Romanian narrowly missed clinching victory in straight sets, her ability to consistently wear down her opponent proved instrumental.
As the third set progressed, it became evident that Rybakina’s energy reserves were dwindling rapidly.