Dayana Yastremska has not missed a US Open main draw since making her Grand Slam debut here in 2018. The Ukrainian, a former Top 25 player and the 12th seed in the women's singles qualifying draw, is now one win away from continuing that streak.
Her 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 result against Eugenie Bouchard on Thursday kept alive another streak of seven consecutive match victories, dating back to her title run at a WTA 125 event in Poland earlier this month. The 23-year-old will next face Elena Gabriela Ruse—a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 winner against 17th seed Dalma Galfi—on Friday in the final round of the US Open Qualifying Tournament.
Yastremska is a three-time WTA singles champion and advanced to the US Open third round in 2019. She also reached the mixed doubles semifinals in New York in 2021 alongside Max Purcell.
The Ukrainian's match against Bouchard was the only contest to finish in Grandstand Friday, with rain hampering play throughout the afternoon and ultimately forcing an early end to the evening action. In the second match on the show court, North Carolina star Fiona Crawley and Hungary's Timea Babos were knotted at 5-5 in a decisive 10-point tiebreak before play was suspended. Crawley won the opening set, 6-2, before Babos took the second, 6-3.
On the men's side, 18-year-old Shang Juncheng stepped up his bid for his US Open main-draw debut with a 6-4, 7-6(2) win against American Patrick Kypson. China's Shang, the boys' singles finalist at the 2021 US Open, reached the Australian Open second round earlier this year in his senior Grand Slam debut and also competed in the Wimbledon main draw.
He will meet No. 28 seed Otto Virtanen on Friday in the final qualifying round. The 22-year-old Finn won his second three-setter of the play-in tournament on Thursday, notching a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory against American Michael Zheng.
American winners on Day 3 of qualifying included Elizabeth Mandlik, Aidan Mayo, Sachia Vickery and Katie Volynets.
In addition to the cliffhanger between Crawley and Babos, three matches were decided in 10-point tiebreaks. No. 22 seed Dominic Stricker edged Pablo Llamas Ruiz, 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(11), in a match that was suspended at 9-9 in the decisive breaker; Han Na-Lae beat eighth seed Lucrezia Stefanini, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4); and James Duckworth knocked out Terence Atmane, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(8).
Qualifying action continues on Friday with a loaded schedule at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where admission is free during US Open Fan Week.
