American Contingent Falters at Australian Open: Shelton and Korda Eliminated
Dreams Dashed: American Men’s Tennis Suffers Setbacks in Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia – The American contingent at the Australian Open faced a major setback on Friday, January 20, 2024, as two of its brightest young stars, Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda, bowed out of the tournament, leaving only three representatives from the United States still in contention.
Shelton’s Marathon Ends in Heartbreak
Ben Shelton, the 16th seed, engaged in a grueling five-set battle against 20th seed Adrian Mannarino of France in the third round. The match lasted four hours and 46 minutes, with Mannarino ultimately prevailing in a thrilling contest.
Shelton, who had captured the attention of tennis fans with his impressive performance at the US Open last year, fought valiantly but was unable to overcome his opponent’s resilience. The American had a chance to serve for the match in the fifth set but was broken by Mannarino, who seized the opportunity and secured the victory.
Korda Falls to Rublev’s Power
Sebastian Korda, seeded 29th, suffered a straight-sets defeat at the hands of fifth-seed Andrey Rublev of Russia in the third round. Rublev, a rising star in the men’s game, proved too strong for Korda, winning 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Korda, who had reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2023, was unable to find his rhythm against Rublev’s powerful groundstrokes and aggressive net play. The American was broken twice in the first set and once in each of the second and third sets, as Rublev controlled the match from start to finish.
American Hopes Rest on Paul, Fritz, and Michelsen
With Shelton and Korda’s exits, the hopes of the American men now rest on Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, and Alex Michelsen. Paul, seeded 30th, will face Jenson Brooksby in the third round, while Fritz, seeded 8th, will take on Alex de Minaur of Australia. Michelsen, a qualifier, will face Karen Khachanov of Russia in the second round.
Women’s Contingent Still in the Running
On the women’s side, four American players remain in contention. US Open champion Coco Gauff, seeded 7th, will face Magdalena Frech of Poland in the fourth round. Jessica Pegula, seeded 3rd, will take on Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in the third round. Danielle Collins, seeded 11th, will face Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the third round. And Amanda Anisimova, seeded 28th, will face Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the third round.
Djokovic Finds His Form, Advances to the Fourth Round
In other news from the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic, the 10-time champion, found his form with a straightforward 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina in the third round. Djokovic, who has been struggling with illness in recent weeks, looked much more like his usual self in this match, hitting his groundstrokes with precision and controlling the tempo of the match.