US Open '21 Former Champ Eliminated

2019 US Open Champ Bianca Andreescu Gone

MARIA SAKKARI defeated BIANCA ANDREESCU 6-7, 7-6, 6-3

In the latest finishing match in the women's draw in history at the U.S Open, 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu has been eliminated in a thrilling match that went the distance at Flushing Meadows this evening. The three-and-a-half-hour epic ending at 2:15 am, only ten minutes shy of the men's record for the latest finishing match. The players were roared on by the fans who had chosen to stick around till the wee hours of the morning.

Sakkari's come from behind victory was aided by leg trouble that Adreescu had to have treated during a medical timeout in the last set. She was visibly hampered by the injury as she grimaced and limped her down the final stretch, but it was ultimately to no avail.

Incredibly, it was Anreescu's first loss in the main draw at Flushing Meadows. In her debut year, she beat Serena Williams in the final and last year a combination of COVID and knee issues prevented the Canadian from defending her crown.

The Greek 17th seed's victory closed out the quarter-final match-ups in a women's side of the draw that has been nothing short of incredible this year. Here's how the draw looks going forwards:

Emma Raducanu vs Belinda Bencic

Karolina Pliskova vs Maria Sakkari

Elina Svitolina vs Leylah Fernandez

Barbora Krejcikova vs Aryna Sabalenka

On the men's side of the draw, Novak Djokovic survived an early scare to continue his hunt for tennis immortality, a 21st grand slam title, and the first calendar year grand slam since 1969 with a win over Jenson Brooksby.

The American took the first set surprisingly easily (6-1) as the crowd looked set for one of the biggest shocks in a tournament of big shocks. The Serbian machine hit back with a vengeance however only dropping 7 more games for the entire match as he roared into the quarter-finals. The Djoker's form is ominous and must give him a huge mental edge going into the last eight. Here's how the men's draw for the quarter-finals looks -

Novak Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini

Alexander Zverev vs Lloyd Harris

Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Carlos Alcaraz

Botic Van de Zandschulp vs Daniil Medvedev

With Novak Djokovic looking to create history on the men's side of the draw and the new generation of women threatening to usher in a new era in ladies' tennis, all I can say is - bring on the quarter-finals!