Updates from the third round at Flushing Meadows
Get in touch with Katy | Osaka hits back at Ostapenko
Raducanu, from 15-all on her serve, slides 15-40 down. Which may as well be two match points. The pair get into a cross-court exchange … Rybkina hits just wide. And then nets her return! Raducanu puffs out her cheeks in relief; she’ll be hoping those two missed chances will play on her opponent’s mind. But from deuce, Raducanu is dragged out of court and Rybakina then hits a winner into the open space. And Raducanu’s cross-court forehand skids into the tramlines. Rybakina will serve for the match at 6-1, 5-2. Not that the crowd are cheering; they wanted a match here. But it’s gone by in the blink of an eye. Or more accurately 58 minutes.
Raducanu wins a rare point on the Rybakina second serve for 15-all. But then a short ball is swatted away for 30-15. Roig is trying to encourage Raducanu to take a few steps back and give herself more time on the ball. His plea works; it’s soon 30-all. But Rybakina rams an ace down the T and then Raducanu drops a tame ball into the centre of the court and Rybakina has plenty of time to take aim and whack a forehand winner. It’s 6-1, 4-2.
A nice bit of play from Raducanu, as she hits back behind Rybakina, catching the Kazakhstani off guard, to secure a hold to 30. The problem is, at 6-1, 3-2 down, she’s starting to run out of chances to break.
