By Gus "Walk-Off" Fields
NEW YORK — Taylor Fritz had this one won. Twice. The No. 9 seed took a two-set lead over No. 24 Francisco Cerundolo at the US Open, then watched it slip away in a 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 defeat that ESPN called a shocker — and it's hard to argue with the word.
Fritz wasn't alone. BBC Sport reported that six top-10 seeds were knocked out of the men's singles field in the tournament's first week, with Fritz and Italy's Flavio Cobolli both falling in the third round. It's the kind of upset-heavy stretch that scrambles a draw and, this year, thins out the American presence at their own Grand Slam.
That presence isn't gone, though. ESPN noted 10 Americans remained in the draw as the second week began — a number that will be tested fast. On the women's side, Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round, according to BBC Sport, even as last year's finalist Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys both went out on what the outlet called a mixed day for home hopes. Keys' exit came at the hands of Zheng Qinwen, who BBC Sport reported fought back from 5-0 down and saved match point in the deciding set to complete the upset.
Elsewhere in the draw, ESPN previewed a heavyweight matchup: a resurgent Naomi Osaka against Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, a test of whether Osaka's recent form can carry into a signature win.
No firm favorite has emerged from all this carnage. That's the story of week one at Flushing Meadows this year — not who's winning, but who keeps losing.
Final score's the last thing that mattered here.
— Compiled from reporting by ESPN and BBC Sport.
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