Six Americans Advance to Tuesday's Round of 16 at Western & Southern Open; 143 Sites Announced for ITA Fall Circuit; Scott Receives USO Wild Card with Suarez Navarro, Ostapenko Withdrawals

Qualifiers continued to impress at the Western & Southern Open with Americans Jessica Pegula and Christina McHale among them. Pegula, who had an outstanding three weeks last month during World Team Tennis, defeated Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-2, while McHale defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia 6-1, 7-6(8). Pegula will face No. 5 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who won a tough battle with qualifier Cici Bellis 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5. McHale will face the winner of Monday's night match between Madison Keys and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, so it's possible there will be one more American in the round of 16, bringing the total to seven. As for qualifiers, there are three women and two men who have advanced to the round of 16 with four wins in the past five days.

Tiebreakers were the order of the day for most US men in second round action Monday, with Tennys Sandgren, John Isner and Reilly Opelka all finishing their matches in that fashion.

Sandgren, a wild card, defeated No. 15 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of  6-7(4), 6-2, 7-6(5), although it was the 20-year-old Canadian who had the match on his racquet, serving at 5-4 in the final set and 5-4 in the final tiebreaker, but he was unable to close. The 15 Auger-Aliassime double faults were certainly one reason why the match was so close, but the margins were so slim throughout that it's hard to pinpoint what exactly was the difference.

Sandgren, who seemed more tired than elated after the nearly three-hour match, wasn't sure either.

"A lot of times it seems that tennis is in the hands of the fates, it's not really in your own hands," the former Tennessee Volunteer said in his Zoom news conference. "I don't know, you try to put yourself in a good position, try to be positive--I don't know, today was tough, we were both struggling a little bit--but just try to be positive and hope that it works out for you. Pick something proactive to try to do, be aggressive and come in or go for your spots on your serve, try to be proactive in those moments rather than reactive. It seems like the player who grabs the match by the reins in those later stages ends up getting through."

Isner, the No. 16 seed, had to come from behind in his match with Australian John Millman, but pressure-packed tiebreakers are standard operating procedure for the former Georgia Bulldog and he posted a 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(5) victory. Isner will play No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece Tuesday. 

Reilly Opelka is the third American man in the round of 16, with the 6-foot-11 Floridian beating No. 9 seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina, all of 5-foot-7, 6-3, 7-6(4). His opponent in the round of 16 is No. 6 seed Matteo Berrettini, who ended the run of qualifier Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland 6-4, 6-7(3), 7-5. 

No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem was dispatched in a hurry by Filip Krajinovic of Serbia, with the 28-year-old getting only the second Top 10 win of his career (the first was over Djokovic, by retirement) in 18 such encounters. Top seed Novak Djokovic won his first match, beating qualifier Ricardas Berankis 7-6(2), 6-4, and will face Sandgren in the round of 16 Tuesday. Wild card Andy Murray, a two-time Western & Southern Open champion, eliminated No. 5 seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

Serena Williams also came through due to her performance in tiebreakers, beating qualifier Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(0) in a roller coaster of a match. Williams led 5-2 in the third set, then lost four straight games, but Rus couldn't close it out serving at 6-5 in the third and Williams rolled through the tiebreaker. She will need to recover quickly for Tuesday's match against No. 13 seed Maria Sakkari of Greece, although it is the night match.

Tuesday's schedule is here. Monday's results are here.

Monday’s second round singles matches featuring US men:

Daniil Medvedev[3](RUS) d. Marcos Giron[Q] 64, 64

Tennys Sandgren[WC] d. Felix Auger-Aliassime[15](CAN) 67(4), 62, 76(5)

Aijaz Bedene[Q](SLO) d. Taylor Fritz 76(5), 75 

Reilly Opelka v Diego Schwartzman[9](ARG) 63, 76(4)

John Isner[16] v John Millman(AUS) 46, 76(3), 76(5)

Monday’s second round singles matches featuring US women:

Jessica Pegula[Q] d. Amanda Anisimova 75, 62 

Christina McHale[Q] d. Ekaterina Alexandrova(RUS) 61, 76(8)

Serena Williams[3] d. Arantxa Rus[Q](NED) 76(6), 36, 76(0)

Aryna Sabalenka[5](BLR) d. Cici Bellis[Q] 67(1), 64, 75

Dayana Yastremska[16](UKR) d. Bernarda Pera 76(5), 46, 63 

Ons Jabeur(TUN) d. Madison Keys[7] 64, 61 

Tuesday’s round of 16 matches featuring US men:

Tennys Sandgren[WC] v Novak Djokovic[1](SRB)

John Isner[16] v Stefanos Tsitsipas[4](GRE)

Reilly Opelka v Matteo Berrettini[6](ITA)

Tuesday’s round of 16 matches featuring US women:

Serena Williams[3] v Maria Sakkari[13](GRE)

Christina McHale[Q] v Ons Jabeur(TUN)

Jessica Pegula[Q] v Aryna Sabalenka[5](BLR)

The ITA today revealed its schedule for the upcoming Fall Circuit by UTR, a ten-week series of three-day events beginning September 18th and ending November 22nd. There are currently 143 tournaments on schedule with at least ten each week at venues across the country. The release mentions 220 events, so others may be added in the coming weeks. The first day to register, for tournaments in weeks 1-3, is Monday August 31st. It's important to register early, with demand likely to be high for some popular venues, as it was for the ITA Summer Circuit. The lack of playing opportunities for those in college this fall is likely to send many of them into this circuit, even if they did not play this summer. The list of events can be found here. An ITA player membership is required, but anyone who purchased one for the Summer Circuit need not buy another. 

Another two withdrawals from the US Open were announced today, with Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro and Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko not making the trip to New York. Kurumi Nara of Japan and Whitney Osuigwe move into the main draw. Because Osuigwe already had a received a wild card, hers is now available, and it has been awarded to Katrina Scott. The updated women's entry list is here.