The American contingent had a ton of momentum through the first six days of the U.S. Open.<\/p>\n
And then Saturday happened.<\/p>\n
On the men\u2019s side, Taylor Fritz \u2014 one of the favorites to reach the final in a weak top half of the draw \u2014 lost his third-round match to Francisco Cerundolo 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Fritz led two sets to love and by a break in the third only to eventually fall after three hours and 40 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even know what to say,\u201d the 10th-ranked American lamented during his post-match press conference. \u201cI don\u2019t really want to talk to anybody (or) see anybody. I kind of just need to get out for a couple days and then just kind of get back to work. I don\u2019t know how I let that happen today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cerundolo doesn\u2019t know, either.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d the world No. 25 commented when asked how he came back. \u201cHe was playing way better than me the first two sets. After I broke back in the third, I started getting into it step by step. In the fourth and fifth I played really good tennis. I knew how difficult it is to play against him. And winning here on my first time on Ashe is fantastic.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredible (in Ashe). I started the match a little bit nervous and tight. But it was great. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Hopefully I can have you on my side in the next round.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just like Fritz, there will be no next round for Madison Keys \u2014 not in this tournament, anyway. Keys squandered an even bigger advantage in her match on Saturday afternoon, as the former U.S. Open runner-up led Qinwen Zheng 5-0 in the third set. The 31-year-old American even had a match point on her own serve at 5-1, 40-30 but could not get across the finish line. Zheng improbably went on to prevail 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-5.<\/p>\n
The good news for the American contingent is that four men advanced to the fourth round in the bottom half of the bracket on Friday.<\/p>\n
Ricky\u00a0contributes\u00a0to\u00a010sballs.com<\/a>\u00a0and also maintains his own tennis website,\u00a0The Grandstand<\/a>. You can follow him on Twitter at @Dimonator<\/a>.<\/p>\n