It was a loaded schedule at Day three of the Western and Southern Open. Many top names were in action, and a few had to miss the action.
The day started with bad news. After losing world number two Rafael Nadal to fatigue, world number four Dominic Thiem withdrew from the tournament early on Tuesday citing an illness picked up in Canada last week. He would not be the last to withdraw as an hour later word came down that tour veteran Lesia Tsurenko was also withdrawing with an elbow injury.The big blow would strike in the evening session. A little before her scheduled match with Zarina Diyas was scheduled to begin, Serena Williams announced that she would also be withdrawing due to a back injury.
Even without these player, Day three gave us plenty of exciting moments. Center Court opened up with an exciting matchup of Stan Wawrinka, a quarterfinalist last year facing off against 2017 Western and Southern Open Champion Grigor Dimitrov. The two battled back and forth, but ultimately Wawrinka would take the match in three sets 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Following up on Center Court, defending Western and Southern Open Women's champion Kiki Bertens, took on long time tour veteran Venus Williams. This match also went the distance and saw Williams blow a big lead in the final set. Williams would ultimately pull off the upset, winning the match in a third set tiebreak 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4). For the second year in a row, the women's champion has been eliminated in their first match. (2018: Tsurenko def Muguruza)
The other singles title holder, men's champion Novak Djokovic, had a tough task against American Sam Querry. Querry broke out to a 3-0 lead before Djokovic would rebound. Djokovic would win 13 of the next 17 to advance to the second round.
The night session saw Roger Federer on Center Court facing Argentinian Juan Ignacio Londero. Federer would defeat Londero in a match delayed by rain 6-3, 6-4.
Other scores of note
Azarenka def. Bencic 6-4,1-0 (Bencic retired in second set)
Goffin def. Fritz 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Paire def. Verdasco 6-4 (Verdasco retired in the second set)
Tiafoe def Monfils 7-6 (7), 6-3
Shapovalov def. Sousa 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
McNally/Riske def. Aoyama/Krunic 7-6 (0), 6-4
Sakarri def Kvitova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
Matchups to watch on Day 4
Alexandrova vs (4) Halep (Center Court 11:00 am)
(6) Nishikori vs Nishioka (Grandstand 11:00am)
(1) Barty vs Sharapova (2nd match Center Court)
(5) Tsitsipas vs Struff (2nd match Grandstand)
(9) Medvedev vs Paire (2nd match Court 4)
McNally/Riske vs Dabrowski/Xu (2nd match Court 11)
Night Session
(8) Stephens vs Putintseva (Center Court 7:00 pm)
Kyrgios vs Khachanov (2nd match Center Court)
For more information including the full order of play, please visit wsopen.com