US OPEN, NEW YORK

We expect a lot from these players, and we expected a lot from Frances Tiafoe. Do we do more harm than good with our expectations?

Frances Tiafoe Among American Successes On Day 3

[26] Danielle Collins defeated Kaja Juvan 6-4, 6-2. Nice win for Frances Tiafoe. The American wobbled in the third against Guido Pella, but still took care of business in three sets.

What’s The Most Painful Loss For A Tennis Player?

All of them! Perhaps, the one where you served for the match. Maybe it’s the one where you had the lead, two sets up to none and you choked and lost the match. It is probably all relative and depends on a slew of variables.

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Bad Day At The Office For The Americans

If Marcos Giron had won the second set in the tiebreak, perhaps things would have turned out differently. He managed to steal the third set, but [24] Daniel Evans was determined to win this in four sets. Brandon Nakashima was leading 2 sets to 1 when the wheels came off. The American lost to Alex Molcan in five sets. The second round was as far as Christina McHale would get this season. At her best, the farthest McHale ever went was the third round; today she lost [8] Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets.

Several Seeds Fell On Day 3

[8] Casper Ruud was upset today by [117] Botic van de Zandschulp in four sets. I believe he is another player who overplayed and now has paid the price early in a major tournament.

[15] Grigor Dimitrov retired due to injury after losing the first two sets in tiebreakers and falling behind 0-4 in the third. Alexei Popyrin came to fight and Dimitrov lost the battle. [16] Cristian Garin after winning the first set, went to sleep. Perhaps the New York weather got to him. In any event he lost in four sets to [130] Henri Laaksonen. [32] Ekaterina Alexandrova fell in straight sets to fellow countrywoman, [134] Kamilla Rakhimova.

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Player To Watch: [55] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images