Home crowd powers Shelton past Hurkacz in US Open second round

Third-ranked Jessica Pegula and former champion Daniil Medvedev advanced to the third round of the US Open on Wednesday with straight-sets wins. Pegula defeated former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in just 56 minutes, while Medvedev beat US wild card Sebastian Gorzny 6-1, 6-3, 7-5. Pegula, ranked 110th, dropped only seven points on serve during her match.

She expressed focus on maintaining her performance, stating she will face former finalist Leylah Fernandez next. Medvedev, who struggled during the hard court preparations, dominated his opponent 731st-ranked Gorzny, serving 14 aces and saving the lone break point he faced. Despite a brief distraction caused by birds on the net, Medvedev remained satisfied with his performance, praising his improved third set play.

Defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka showcased the day's action, with Sabalenka set to face Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko and Alcaraz to play Portugal's Jaime Faria. Other seeded players including Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Brandon Nakashima, and Alex de Minaur also advanced to the third round.