US Open: Navarro sets up Gauff clash with win over Kostyuk in third round

American Emma Navarro, the No 13 seed, advanced to the last 16 of the US Open by defeating Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the No 19 seed, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Friday.

Navarro and Kostyuk produced a close fight that extended to nearly two hours. The Ukrainian broke the American four times in the three-setter but the latter edged out with five break point conversions.

Kostyuk recorded a staggering 34 winners to No 13 seed’s 14, however, counterweighed them with as many unforced errors, including seven double faults. Navarro controlled her swings better as she recorded only 16 unforced errors and three double faults in the winning effort.

With the win, world No 12 Navarro set up a fourth-round fight with fellow American and No 3 seed Coco Gauff, who staged a comeback win against Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) in her third round effort.

It will be Navarro’s second match-up for the season with Gauff. The two recently met in the last 16 of Wimbledon, where she scored a 6-4, 6-3 over the 2023 US Open champion.

Ahead of her victory, the American won against Russian Anna Blinkova (6-1, 6-1) and Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus (6-1, 6-1).

Kostyuk, ranked No 19, beat American wildcard McCartney Kessler (6-2, 6-3) and Harriet Dart (7-6 (10), 6-1) in the previous rounds.

New York (Grand Slam), other third-round results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 75.000.000, most recent results first):

• Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Anna Kalinskaya
• Iga Swiatek vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
• Jessika Ponchet vs. Caroline Wozniacki
• Ashlyn Krueger vs. Liudmila Samsonova
• Sara Errani vs. Diana Shnaider
• Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vs. Jessica Pegula
• Yulia Putintseva vs. Jasmine Paolini
• Karolina Muchova vs. Anastasia Potapova
• Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Aryna Sabalenka
• Madison Keys vs. Elise Mertens
• Donna Vekic (24) beat Peyton Stearns: 7-5, 6-4
• Yafan Wang beat Victoria Azarenka (20): 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
• Coco Gauff beat Elina Svitolina (27): 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Qinwen Zheng (7) beat Jule Niemeier: 6-2, 6-1
• Paula Badosa (26) beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Q): 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8)