US Open Day 3 Takeaways: Novak in straights, and a dose of Wozniacki magic

American tennis is alive at the US Open!

Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz didn’t just play tennis; they put on a show at the US Open second round. They were on a mission to keep those games under lock and key.

First up, the 10th seed Tiafoe. He was the ultimate fortress from the baseline, dismantling Austrian Sebastian Ofner with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 masterpiece. This guy committed only 14 unforced errors in a one-hour, 31-minute showdown. He had a smoother serve than butter, giving up five points behind his first serve and squashing the only break point Ofner dared to present.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd roared as Tiafoe conjured easy firepower from his forehand, sending shots whizzing by Ofner like they were on a mission. Breaking Ofner’s serve five times was just the cherry on top of his performance, and those 21 winners? Well, they were like sprinkles on a sundae.

As for Fritz, he breezed past Peru’s Juan Pablo Varillas with a 6-1, 6-1, and 6-2 victory, leaving everyone in awe. His first serve was like a magic potion, winning 36 out of 44 points behind it. Conversely, Fritz was like a defensive ninja, tackling rallies when needed. He hasn’t let anyone break his stride, thwarting three break points, and remains unbroken the entire week.

Fritz has made it easy, only dropping 10 games in his first two matches. His next mission? Taking on the 17-year-old qualifier Jakub Mensik, who defeated Frenchman Titouan Droguet 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(1), 6-3.