US Open Updates: Gaby Dabrowski advances to women’s doubles semifinal
Day 10 — Wednesday September 8
On Wednesday, Gaby Dabrowski joined Leylah Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime in the U.S. Open semifinal round.
The lone Canadian in action, Dabrowski and her doubles partner Luisa Stefani were up against the Czech pair of Marie Bouzková and Lucie Hradecká.
READ: Dabrowski wins women’s doubles title at Canadian Open
After each team won a set, the Canadian Open champions took the lead in the third set, to win the match with a final score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
If Dabrowski and Stefani win their semifinal match on Thursday, it will be their third consecutive final, and also their first final at a Grand Slam. They will play either the No. 1 seeded team of Su-Wei Hsieh and Elisa Mertens or the American pair of Coco Gauff and Caty McNally for a spot in the final.
Day 9 — Tuesday September 7
Leylah Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime both advanced on to the semis on Tuesday.
First up was Fernandez, who upset fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) to advance to the semifinals.
Fernandez had a convincing first set win over the Ukrainian, before going down 1-5 in the second set. The just turned 19-year-old battled back before Svitolina won the set 3-6.
In the deciding set, the two players took it all the way to a final set tiebreak, with Fernandez winning the match.
She becomes only the third Canadian woman to reach the semifinal in the Open era, joining Bianca Andreescu (2019) and Carling Bassett-Seguso. Fernandez will play second seed Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday.
In the evening Auger-Aliassime took on Carlos Alcaraz. The Canadian won the first set 6-3, and was leading the second set 3-1 when Alcaraz retired from the match due to injury.
Auger-Aliassime is the first Canadian man to reach the US Open semifinals.
He will play Daniil Medvedev, the No. 2 seed in the semifinals.
Day 8 — Monday September 6
Gaby Dabrowski and partner Luisa Stefani advanced to the quarterfinal in women’s doubles, booking a 6(5)-7, 6-4, 6-2 win over the Ukrainian duo of Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska on Monday.
The fifth-seeded duo looks to follow up on their recent success at the Canadian Open, where their win gave Dabrowski her 10th WTA title.
READ: Dabrowski wins women’s doubles title at Canadian Open
Leylah Fernandez and Erin Routliffe bowed out of the women’s doubles competition, falling 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to the Romanian team of Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Monica Niculescu.
The last Canadian to play was 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, up against 17th seed Maria Sakkari of Greece. Andreescu was looking to continue her US Open winning streak. Unfortunately, Andreescu’s it came to an end. The Canadian took the first set in a tiebreak (7-2) but then lost the second set in a tiebreak (8-6). The 17th seed completed the comeback by winning the third set 6-3.
Their three hour and 30 minute match set a record for latest match finishing at the US Open, surpassing the record set by Madison Keys and Alison Riske set in 2019, when their match ended at 2:13 a.m.
Day 7 — Sunday September 5
Leylah Fernandez kept her fairy tale run alive on Sunday, defeating Angelique Kerber 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinal.
After a promising start gave her a 4-2 lead in the first set, Fernandez lost her rhythm, committing four double faults in the next two service games.
The 18-year-old found herself down again 5-4 in the second set but fought back to go up 6-5 before an eventual tiebreaker. With the crowd behind her, Fernandez prevailed 7-5 in the tiebreaker to take the match to a third and deciding set.
The third set was all Fernandez as she broke Kerber twice en route to victory and a berth in her first ever quarterfinal at a major.
The win adds another impressive notch to the Canadian’s belt: She defeated defending US Open champion Naomi Osaka on Friday before besting a former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam winner in Kerber.
Fernandez, who turns 19 on Monday, will face No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina on Tuesday.
On the men’s side, Félix Auger-Aliassime got the job done as well, defeating Francis Tiafoe 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(7), 6-4.
The 21-year-old will play in his second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal after reaching the same stage at Wimbledon this summer.
Auger-Aliassime now looks forward to his next match against 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz Garfia of Spain on Tuesday.
Gaby Dabrowski also moved on in women’s doubles with partner Luisa Stefani, defeating Shelby Rogers and Petra Martić 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(3). They’ll take on the Ukrainian duo of Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska in the third round on Monday.
Day 6 — Saturday September 4
Bianca Andreescu cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Greet Minnen of Belgium on Saturday, earning her place in the round of 16.
The Canadian dominated the match with her powerful serve, keeping 78 percent of first serves in play and winning 75 percent of those points.
The win keeps Andreescu’s perfect US Open record intact as she improves to 10-0.
She will play 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece in her next match on Monday.
Along with her success in singles, Leylah Fernandez has also found her game in women’s doubles with partner Erin Routliffe. The duo beat Robin Montgomery and Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the third round. Fernandez remains as the only Canadian to be alive in both singles and doubles.
In men’s singles action Denis Shapovalov fell in straight sets to Lloyd Harris of South Africa 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. It was a disappointing third-round loss for the 22-year-old, who advanced all the way to the semifinal at Wimbledon this summer.
Gaby Dabrowski competed in mixed doubles with partner Marcus Daniell, falling to the duo of Dayana Yastremska and Max Purcell 6-3, 6-3. Dabrowski is still considered a favourite in the women’s doubles pool alongside Luisa Stefani.
Vasek Pospisil and partner Frederik Nielsen fell to Andre Goransson and Marcos Giron 7-6(12), 7-6(4) in men’s doubles, ending the Canadian’s tournament.
Day 5 — Friday September 3
Leylah Fernandez shocked the tennis world on Friday night, coming from behind to defeat No. 3 seed and reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-4.
The 18-year-old showed no signs of nerves en route to the biggest win of her career, committing just 24 unforced errors compared to Osaka’s 36.
With the win, Fernandez is through to the fourth round of a major for the first time ever. She’ll face off against 2016 US Open champion Angelique Kerber in the round of 16 on Sunday.
On the men’s side, Félix Auger-Aliassime also advanced through to the round of 16, defeating No. 18 seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime was the aggressor throughout the match, hitting 76 winners and 27 aces while establishing an early two-set lead. However, his 74 unforced errors allowed the Spaniard to stay in the match as the two men went to a fifth and final set. The Montreal, Quebec native went up 4-1 in the fifth set and managed to hold on for the win.
He will take on American Frances Tiafoe in the fourth round on Sunday with hopes of reaching his second career quarterfinal at a major.
In men’s doubles action Vasek Pospisil teamed up with Frederik Nielsen of Denmark against Andre Goransson of Sweden and Marcos Giron of the United States. Pospisil and Nielsen prevailed in their first match of the tournament, winning 6-3, 7-6(3).
The duo will play Kevin Krawietz of Germany and Horia Tecău of Romania in the second round on Saturday.
Day 4 — Thursday September 2
Bianca Andreescu continued her winning ways on Thursday, defeating American Lauren Davis 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the third round.
With the victory, the 2019 US Open champion improves to a lifetime record of 9-0 at the main draw of the tournament. Andreescu will take on Greet Minnen of Belgium on Saturday.
In men’s singles, Denis Shapovalov took on Roberto Carballés Baena of Spain. After a tight battle in the first set, the Canadian came out on top 7-6(7), 6-3, 6-0. He will face Lloyd Harris of South Africa in third round action on Saturday.
Leylah Fernandez was back on the courts Thursday afternoon for a women’s doubles match with New Zealander Erin Routliffe. The pair won their first round match against Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and American Christina McHale in two sets of 6-4, 6-2.
Gaby Dabrowski was on double duty, competing in both women’s and mixed doubles on Thursday. In women’s doubles action, she and partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil won 6-1, 6-2 against Tamara Zidanšek and Viktorija Golubic in their first match of the tournament.
Later that night, Dabrowski teamed up with Marcus Daniell of New Zealand in mixed doubles, defeating her own women’s doubles partner, Stefani, and Marcelo Melo 7-5, 6-7(3), 11-9.
Vasek Pospisil faced Belarusian Ilya Ivashka in the second round and lost in three sets of 6-3, 6-4 and 7-6 (5). He will compete in men’s doubles with Frederik Nielsen of Denmark tomorrow.
Day 3 — Wednesday September 1
On Wednesday, Leylah Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime both advanced to the the third round of the US Open.
Fernandez earned her victory first, defeating Estonian Kaia Kanepi. At the end of the first set, she earned a break point to win the set 7-5.
In the second set, play was suspended during the sixth game due to rain. At that point, Kanepi had the serve and led three games to two. When play resumed, the Canadian dug deep to eventually tie the set up at 5-5. Fernandez won the next two games to take the set 7-5 and win the match.
She will face defending US Open champion Naomi Osaka on Friday.
Next to hit the court was Auger-Aliassime. He was up against Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
The first set was decided by a tiebreaker, won 7-5 by Auger-Aliassime to steal the set 7-6.
In the second set, Auger-Aliassime broke the Spaniard in the fifth and seventh games. Zapata Miralles responded by breaking the Canadian in the next game, but it wasn’t good enough, as Auger-Aliassime won the set 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime continued his momentum in the final set with a dominating 6-2 victory to win the match. He will face another Spaniard in the third round, 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
Still to play on Wednesday was Gaby Dabrowski in mixed doubles with her partner Marcus Daniell of New Zealand. They will play the Brazilian duo of Luisa Stefani and Marcelo Melo.
Dabrowski and Stefani are playing together in women’s doubles, scheduled to start on Thursday.
Day 2 – Tuesday August 31
Denis Shapovalov was the first Canadian in action on Tuesday, and he easily defeated Federico Delbonis of Argentina in three straight sets of 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.
The No.7 seed of the tournament secured his win in one hour and 48 minutes, hitting 14 aces and winning 87 per cent of his first serve points against Delbonis.
In the next round Shapovalov will play Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.
Vasek Pospisil was up next, facing off against No.28th seed Fabio Fognini. The last time they played each other was during the 2019 Davis Cup Finals, where Pospisil won 7-6(5), 7-5.
READ: Canada defeats Italy in opening matchup of Davis Cup Finals
After dropping the first two sets 2-6 and 3-6 to Fognini, Pospisil dug deep to begin his comeback with a 6-1 win for the third set.
Next, Pospisil won the fourth set 6-3, the fifth set was close, going to a tiebreak. The Canadian was able to win the tiebreak to complete his comeback win. He will face Ilya Ivashka of Belarus in the second round.
Bianca Andreescu was the last Canadian to play on Tuesday evening. The 2019 U.S. Open champion, who is seeded sixth this year, outlasted Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 in her first round match. Andreescu has yet to lose a main draw match in her career at the U.S. Open.
Andreescu had to come from behind to win the first set. She then needed some treatment from a trainer during the second set which was won by Golubic.
In the third set, Andreescu was broken by Golubic to go down 3-2, but the Canadian did not panic and came back to get the victory. She moves on to face American Lauren Davis.
Day 1 – Monday August 30
On the first day of action at the US Open, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Leylah Fernandez both advanced to the second round.
First up was Fernandez, up against World No. 88 Ana Konjuh. The two players have faced each other one time previously, during the qualifying round of the Madrid Open earlier this year. Konjuh won the match 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-4.
After being down in the first set, Fernandez saved two match points in the tenth game, breaking Konjuh’s serve. In the tiebreak she held off Konjuh to win the set 7-6(3). The second set was much easier for her, winning four straight games in a row. The Laval native won the second set 6-2.
She will face Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in the second round. Playing in her second US Open, Fernandez is looking to advance further than her second round finish at last year’s tournament.
The next Canadian to hit the court was 12th seed Auger-Aliassime, against Russian Evgeny Donskoy. The Montreal native had a nearly four hour marathon match, winning three tiebreaks to secure his victory over Donskoy.
In the first set, Donskoy held off the Canadian for the 12 games, but could not do so in the tiebreak with Auger-Aliassime winning 7-0.
In the fourth set, Auger-Aliassime was able to complete the match by converting his first match point opportunity in the tiebreak when Donskoy missed on a backhand.
Auger-Aliassime will play Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain in the second round. At last year’s tournament, Auger-Aliassime reached the Round of 16 before falling to Dominic Thiem.
Rebecca Marino was the final Canadian in action on Monday, playing in her first US Open main draw in a decade. She was defeated by No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in two straight sets of 6-2, 6-3.
On Tuesday, Bianca Andreescu, Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil will each play their first match.
