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Day 3 of the 2024 US Open brought a mix of controversy, surprise, and disappointment, both on and off the court. From Chris Evert facing backlash for her controversial commentary to Elena Rybakina's sudden withdrawal due to a mysterious injury, the day was marked by tension on and off the court.
Carlos Alcaraz's unexpected early exit and Jannik Sinner's response to Nick Kyrgios's controversial comments added to the mix, making it a day to remember in this year's Grand Slam event.
Here are four standout moments from a dramatic day at the US Open:
Chris Evert landed in hot water for her commentary
Chris Evert received flak for her alleged controversial comments about Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff during her commentary at the 2024 US Open.
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Defending champion Gauff reached the third round by defeating Tatjana Maria 6-4, 6-0 in the second. On the other hand, two-time champion Osaka's quest for her fifth Grand Slam title ended with a 3-6, 6-7(5) loss to Karolina Muchova in the second round.
Evert commented on Osaka's outfit during the broadcast, leading fans to accuse her of mocking the Japanese player's custom Nike kit and criticizing Black athletes. A user said on X (formerly Twitter):
"Chrissie Evert either needs some sensitivity training or to be let go. I can't keep listening to this bs, @espn. The way she critiques Black players, with regard to the game and far outside of it, is not cool. Do something."
Evert also faced criticism for her comments during Gauff's match, with fans alleging that she exhibited the same "racist" behavior toward the WTA World No. 3 that she had previously shown towards Serena Williams.
"Evert speaks about Coco in the same way she spoke about Serena 🤨IYKYK 😒 Evert is a spiteful, racist c**t!" a fan," a fan said.
Elena Rybakina's mysterious withdrawal due to injury
Elena Rybakina recently withdrew from the 2024 US Open just hours before her scheduled second-round match against Jessika Ponchet on August 29, citing injury.
This marks the eighth major tournament this season that the Kazakh player has pulled out from. She previously withdrew from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells due to gastrointestinal illness, the Italian Open due to an undisclosed illness, the Ecotrans Ladies Open due to an unspecified injury, the Eastbourne International due to a scheduling change, the Paris Olympics, and the National Bank Open due to acute bronchitis, a respiratory infection.
Rybakina, who announced her split from longtime coach Stefano Vukov ahead of her US Open campaign, issued a statement confirming her withdrawal from the New York Major due to injury. She said in a statement shared by the WTA:
"Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from my match today due to my injuries. I did not want to finish the last Grand Slam of the year this way, but I have to listen to my body, and I hope I can close out the remainder of the year strong."
Following Rybakina's US Open withdrawal, her former coach Stefano Vukov was reportedly removed from the WTA coaches list and allegedly banned from the tour, which suggests a broader ban on his participation in future events.
Carlos Alcaraz's straight-sets exit from US Open 2R
Carlos Alcaraz's 2024 US Open campaign ended in disappointment as he suffered a shock 1-6, 5-7, 4-6 defeat to World No. 74 Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round on August 29. This loss snapped Alcaraz's impressive 15-match winning streak at Grand Slams.
The defeat marks Alcaraz's earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the second round. It also stands as his worst performance at the US Open, having previously reached at least the quarterfinals each year.
The Spaniard opened up on his mental state during the US Open defeat in a post-match press conference.
"It was a fight against myself, you know, in my mind during the match. In tennis, you’re playing against someone that wants the same as you – it’s to win the match. You have to be as much calm as you can," Alcaraz said.
"Today I was playing against the opponent and I was playing against myself, in my mind. Lots of emotions that I couldn’t control. It was a rollercoaster in my mind. It can’t be like that if I want to think about big things. So I have to improve it; I have to learn about it," he added.
Botic van de Zandschulp advanced to the third round of the New York Major for the second time, where he will take on 25th seed Jack Draper. The winner of this match will face either David Goffin or Tomas Machac in the Round of 16.
Jannik Sinner reacts to Nick Kyrgios's controversial comments on Italian's doping controversy
Jannik Sinner addressed Nick Kyrgios's controversial comments about the former's doping controversy. Despite being cleared after testing positive for steroid Clostebol in March, Sinner faced harsh criticism, including Kyrgios's call for a two-year ban.
Currently competing in the 2024 US Open, where he reached the third round, Sinner was asked in a press conference about potentially being interviewed by Kyrgios, who is part of the Slam's courtside team.
Sinner hinted that the interaction would be different but emphasized that his calm demeanor would help him handle the situation.
"I don’t know," Sinner said. "I don’t want to respond on what he said. Everyone is free to say everything. It’s ok. If that is the case, let’s see. It’s gonna be different for sure."
"I don’t know what to say. Maybe I say something now and then the reaction will be something else. I’m always quite relaxed. I’m someone who forgets things quite fast. Everyone is free to say everything. It is what it is," he added.
The top-seeded Italian will take on Australia's Christopher O'Connell in the third round on August 30. The winner of this match will face either Canadian qualifier Gabriel Diallo or 14th seed Tommy Paul.
