Canada's Leylah Fernandez is out of the U.S. Open after a 1-6. 6-4, 6-3 loss to third seed Jessica Pegula of the United States in third-round action Friday.
The 23-year-old from Laval, Que., got off to a roaring start at Arthur Ashe Stadium, scoring a break to go up 2-0 in the first set and then breaking to love for a 5-1 lead before serving out the set.
Pegula scored her first break of the match at a key moment to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.
Fernandez got the break back later to cut Pegula's lead to 5-4, but Pegula won against serve again to take the set.
Pegula's third break of the match put her up 3-1 in the third set, and she held serve from there to win the match in two hours 10 minutes.
Fernandez is still active in doubles competition at the hardcourt Grand Slam and is set to team with Indonesia's Janice Tjen against ninth seeds Erin Routliffe of New Zealand and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia in second-round action Saturday.
Carlos Alcaraz beat China's Yibing Wu 6-3 6-4 6-1. The second-seeded Spaniard will continue his quest to become the first man since Roger Federer to defend the U.S. Open title when he plays Tommy Paul in the fourth round.
Like Pegula, Aryna Sabalenka was finally challenged by the U.S. Open — by her opponent and by the smell of marijuana.
Both players overcame their troubles to reach the fourth round and keep alive the chances of a third straight meeting on the final weekend.
Sabalanka beat Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. The No. 1 seed was pushed in a second set that lasted 54 minutes — a minute longer than her entire previous match.
"She played incredible tennis," Sabalenka said. "She really pushed me so hard in the second set and I love when they bring their best tennis because they really push me to improve."
Trying to become the first player to win three straight U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012-14, Sabalenka will face Taylor Townsend in the Round of 16.
Williams, who is playing at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2022, will team with sister Venus to play a first-round doubles match against Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint, who beat Serena in singles play at Wimbledon this summer.
Sabalenka was serving in the third game of her match in Louis Armstrong Stadium when she tossed the ball but then let it fall to the court. She did the same thing on the next point, with something clearly bothering her.
She then approached the chair umpire to ask for help because she smelled marijuana.
