US Open 2023: Swiatek routs Juvan, Wozniacki and Tiafoe in action on day five – live | US Open Tennis 2023

Mannarino holds an important game to keep the third set alive. He’s got an uphill battle to come, as he trails 1-3, but had he lost that one he’d be in real trouble.

He must break now.

Over on Court 17, Zhang Zhizhen of China is taking on Rinky Hikikata from Australia.

The Aussie claimed the first game on his own service and has now taken the second to deuce.

I said earlier that Ostapenko won’t fancy meeting the top seed Swiatek in the next round. Well, maybe she won’t mind at all.

Swiatek has yet to beat Ostapenko in three meetings and their last match against each other in a major was in Australia earlier this year. The Latvian came out on top so history, if not world rankings, are on her side.

Ben Shelton beats Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0

Mannarino misses a sitter with an overhead smash. He went for the absolute edge of the line and missed. He’s 15-30 down on his own serve.

Make that 15-40 after finding the net. Tiafoe with all the momentum now. Can he break and take an early advantage in this third set?

Mannarino gets a little help from the net. His drop shot – in response to Tiafoe’s drop shot – was sneaking over until it dipped and clipped the net before bouncing over for a point.

I’m not sure I saw Mannarino apologise and frankly, I hope he didn’t. I’ve always been annoyed by the faux apology from tennis players when they win a point off the net. Do footballers apologise if they score off the post? Do cricketers apologise if they get a wicket off an inside edge? No they don’t. Besides, no tennis player is every really sorry for winning a point.

OK, rant over. Tiafoe has just exploded across the court and climbed into a two-handed backhand winner. Another outstanding and thumping shot.

Have you noticed the dazzling colours and patterns on court?

Hannah Jane Parkinson has and put together this great piece on the subject:

Wozniacki breaks back. The veteran won’t go away so easily and she rouses to take a game off of Brady’s serve. 1-2 down in the second.

Mannarino is losing his cool demeanour. That’s another shot that thwacks into the net and he admonishes himself. A point later he fails to hold his serve and that means Tiafoe takes the second set 6-2. We’ve got a match on here at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Tiafoe a game away from the set. He’s got the crowd behind and momentum as well. 5-2 up thanks to a lovely drop shot from the backhand into the open court. Beautiful. He’s purring now.

Brady breaks Wozniacki. The wheels are coming off for the two-time winner of this tournament.

Tiafoe breaks! And the crowd rises with him. He’s 4-2 up in the second. Big service game coming up.

Jelena Ostapenko beats Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Tiafoe drops a tasty treat. Mannarino played a drop shot but it wasn’t as good as the one delivered by Tiafoe. A slicing backhand dab that looped and spun backwards. I’ll take two of those please.

Tiafoe then gets hold of a double handed backhand across the court. That one had smoke on it.

He then shows incredible defence to take a third consecutive point and storm to a 30-40 lead with the chance to break.

And just like that, Brady takes the first set 6-4.

Meanwhile, Ostapenko is two points away from winning her match with Pera.

Brady with a set point. Wozniacki makes a mistake on the backhand. In fact, there are three set points here.

Ostapenko to serve for the match. She lost the first set but has rallied to take a commanding lead in this third. 5-2 up. Pera needs a miracle.

Brady holds and is now in search of a break point to take the set. Wozniacki is serving but is behind at 0-30.

Yes please, Tiafoe. What a shot that is. He reaches this forehand with both feet off the ground and whips it from past an advancing Mannarino at the net. Tiafoe’s forehand is so wristy and flicky. It’s almost as if he’s playing it too close to his body so has to bend his elbow. Of course he knows what he’s doing and that end product is proof of that. He’s 2-1 up in the second.

Tiafoe takes the first game before Mannarino holds the second. 1-1 at the refurbished Louis Armstrong Stadium. Mannarino has this wonderful languid, almost lazy style. He doesn’t over hit the ball but caresses it. Tiafoe also has a delicate touch but is more bustling as he gets the ball. I’m enjoying this contest.

Shelton wins third set for a 2-1 lead. That one finishes 6-2 in favour of the American. A proper battle a the Grandstand.

Ostapenko once again breaks Pera and is within touching distance of the fourth round.

She leads the third set 4-1 and is currently serving. Pera must break here to stay in the contest.

Shelton a game away from a 2-1 lead. The American took the first set 6-4 but his sparring partner from Russia, Karatsev, claimed the second set 6-3.

Shelton has a golden opportunity 5-2 up. Karatsev is serving, but will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to save this set.

Caroline Wozniacki – three years after retiring and having given birth to two children since then – is in action at Arthur Ashe.

She’s locked at 3-3 with the American Jennifer Brady. A dilemma for the home crowd. Support one of their own, or cheer on the feel-good story of the tournament?

Mannarino takes the opening set, 6-4. After a marathon final game, the end came rather swiftly. Mannarino’s serve from the left to Tiafoe’s two-handed backhand is venomous. It was a pretty even set, with Mannarino winning 33 points to Tiafoe’s 31. But it’s the ones that count that matter.

Fourth deuce. My goodness, this game may never end. Tiafoe had the break point again but a perfectly drilled serve from Mannarino took us back level.

Tiafoe back at break point thanks to a whipping, dipping forehand. What a delicious shot that was.

Mannarino won’t be beaten so easily and volleys to the corner to take this game past the eight minute mark. Deuce again.

Advantage Tiafoe. Again Mannarino doesn’t clear the net and from a set point not long ago, we’re at break point.

Scratch that, an error and a groan means we’re back at deuce.

Tiafoe takes it to deuce. Mannarino had a set point but his languid forehand doesn’t clear the net. A chance now for the American.

The crowd are on their feet and they’re cheering for Tiafo. He got a bit lucky there as he hit it straight at Mannarino at the net but the Frenchman overcommitted. He couldn’t manoeuvre his body and skewed the volley wide.

But again – aaaargh – Tiafoe makes an error and its 30-30.

A massive roar as Tiafoe takes the first point of the game. That’s on the back of a 26 shot rally. But then he leaves one short and all that good work is undone. 15-15. Mannarino serving for the set.

Ostapenko breaks Pera immediately. That’s a big moment on Court 17. The Latvian now has control of the decising third set.

Tiafoe holds his serve. But he needs to break now as he trails 4-5. When he gets it right he looks sensational. He is ranked 10th for a reason.

Mannarino is taking control of this first set. Tiafoe looks a little off the boil at times. Another wild hack at a return sees the ball spiral well wide of the tram. The American is 3-5 down.

Ostapenko takes the second set 6-3. Her match against Pera will go down to a third set decider. The winner gets the honour of playing Swiatek in the next round. Out of the frying pan etcetera…

Tiafoe has clicked into gear. He looks far more composed on this service game. He also sorts out his smash game and delivers a crushing winner to take the game.

But, he’s still behind the eight ball and trails 3-4.

Pera breaks Ostapenko. That was crucial for the unseeded American. She has the first set wrapped up at 6-4 but was facing a tricky situation at 2-4 down in the second. Now trailing 3-4, she has the chance to even the score on her serve.

Break point for Mannarino. After saving two break points in the previous game, the Frenchman delivers a devastating forehand winner to break Tiafoe’s serve and take a 3-2 lead in the first set.

Tiafoe misses an overhead smash. That was a real let off for Mannarino. Just too long. The Sky commentators are wondering if modern players are weaker on that shot compared to players of previous generations. It’s an intersting thought. I wonder why that may be.

Anyway, Tiafoe is facing a break point. He’s got to find his groove quick.

Mannarino holds. 2-2 in the first set.

Tiafoe within touching distance of an early break. But Mannarino holds his nerve to resist two break points and takes it to deuce. Tiafoe looked hesitant there while searching for that winner. Three points in a row means Mannarino has a chance to hold serve.

Maybe I’ve jinxed it for the Yanks. Ostapenko now has a 3-1 lead in the second set over Pera and is 40-30 for a 4-1 lead. Perhaps I spoke too soon.

There’s more joy for Americans as Ben Shelton is a set up against Aslan Karatsev [unofficially from Russia].

Shelton took the first 6-4 but is behind 2-4 in the second. Karatsev is serving as well so this one could be a long ol’ slog.