American Contingent Falters at Australian Open: Shelton and Korda Bow Out, Leaving Trio to Carry the Torch

Melbourne, Australia – The hopes of American tennis fans dwindled further at the 2024 Australian Open on Friday as two more highly touted stars, Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda, suffered disappointing defeats, leaving only three male players remaining in the tournament.

Shelton, the 16th seed, succumbed to a grueling five-set battle against 20th seed Adrian Mannarino, while Korda, seeded 29th, fell in straight sets to fifth-seed Andrey Rublev. Their exits add to the growing list of American disappointments in Melbourne, which has already seen the likes of Frances Tiafoe, Chris Eubanks, Jessica Pegula, and Danielle Collins depart prematurely.

Shelton’s defeat was particularly disheartening, as he had been one of the most exciting young players on the ATP Tour in recent months. The 21-year-old American had reached the quarterfinals of the US Open last year and had looked poised for a deep run in Melbourne. However, Mannarino proved to be a formidable opponent, ultimately prevailing after four hours and 46 minutes of intense play.

Korda’s loss was less surprising, as he faced a daunting task against Rublev, one of the most in-form players on tour. The Russian dispatched Korda in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the fourth round.

With Shelton and Korda’s departures, the American challenge now rests on the shoulders of Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, and Alex Michelsen. Paul, the highest-ranked American man at No. 20, has reached the third round, while Fritz, seeded ninth, and Michelsen, a qualifier, have advanced to the second round.

On the women’s side, four American players remain in contention, including US Open champion Coco Gauff. Gauff, seeded sixth, will face Magdalena Frech in the fourth round, while Amanda Anisimova, Lauren Davis, and Katie Volynets are also still alive in the tournament.

Djokovic Finds His Form, Advances to Fourth Round

While the American contingent has struggled, Novak Djokovic has shown signs of returning to his dominant form at the Australian Open. The 10-time champion, who has been battling illness in recent weeks, produced a commanding performance in his third-round match against Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Djokovic, playing his 100th match at Melbourne Park, looked sharp and focused from the start, hitting his groundstrokes with customary ferocity. He took control of the match early, winning the first two sets comfortably. Etcheverry showed some fight in the third set, but Djokovic ultimately prevailed in a tiebreaker to seal a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory.

“It was a great match, the best performance I had during this tournament,” Djokovic said afterward. “I’m pleased with the way I played throughout the entire match, particularly the first two sets.”

Djokovic’s victory sets up a fourth-round clash with Alex de Minaur, the Australian No. 1. De Minaur advanced to the fourth round with a straight-sets win over Benjamin Bonzi of France.

Other Notable Results

In other notable results from Friday’s play at the Australian Open:

• Second seed Casper Ruud of Norway defeated Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in straight sets to reach the fourth round.
• Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece also advanced to the fourth round with a straight-sets win over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.
• Eighth seed Andrey Rublev of Russia defeated Sebastian Korda of the United States in straight sets to reach the fourth round.
• Ninth seed Taylor Fritz of the United States defeated Alex Molcan of Slovakia in straight sets to reach the second round.
• Qualifier Katie Volynets of the United States defeated Clara Burel of France in three sets to reach the second round.

Remaining American Players in the Tournament

Men’s Singles:

• Tommy Paul (20)
• Taylor Fritz (9)
• Alex Michelsen (Q)

Women’s Singles:

• Coco Gauff (6)
• Amanda Anisimova (28)
• Lauren Davis
• Katie Volynets (Q)

Conclusion

The Australian Open has reached a critical stage, with the fourth round set to begin on Sunday. While the American contingent has taken a hit with the departures of Shelton and Korda, there are still several players capable of making a deep run in the tournament. All eyes will be on Djokovic, who is seeking his 11th Australian Open title and a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam singles title.

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