Home favorites and former US Open finalists faced a disheartening Saturday as Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, and Taylor Fritz all fell in the third round.

Amanda Anisimova, last year’s runner-up, suffered a swift defeat, losing in straight sets to Anastasia Potapova with scores of 6-2, 7-5. Despite being the 10th seed, Anisimova struggled to convert break points, managing only three out of sixteen, marking her third consecutive third-round exit from a Grand Slam.

In a dramatic match, Madison Keys, a 2017 finalist, squandered a match point in a thrilling three-set loss to Qinwen Zheng. After leading 5-0 in the final set and having a match point at 5-1, Keys couldn’t maintain her momentum, ultimately falling 1-6, 7-6(3), 7-5. Zheng, who has battled injuries and ranked as low as No 121, demonstrated resilience, winning the final seven games of the match.

Taylor Fritz, the 2024 finalist, faced a tough challenge against Francisco Cerundolo, losing 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 4-6 after leading two sets to none. Fritz missed crucial break points, allowing Cerundolo to recover and serve out the match after facing 0-30. Cerundolo expressed his excitement about winning on Arthur Ashe Stadium, appreciating the experience against a top player like Fritz.

Additionally, Flavio Cobolli, the fifth seed, also exited the tournament, falling to Alexander Blockx in another upset. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, the 2022 champion, narrowly avoided an upset, defeating Marie Bouzkova in two close tiebreaks, with scores of 7-6(3), 7-6(3).