Rublev falls as British US Open group narrows to Jones and Dart

Andrey Rublev is the latest seed out, while Francesca Jones advances and Britain’s US Open survivors face two very different second-round tests in New York.

Andrey Rublev is out of the US Open, and Britain’s second-round group has narrowed to Harriet Dart and Francesca Jones. Rublev lost to Daniel Merida in four sets, while Jones beat Magda Linette.

Merida removes another seed

Merida beat 23rd seed Rublev 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. Rublev took the opening tie-break, but the Spaniard controlled the next three sets. Merida will meet either Karen Khachanov or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the third round.

Alexander Zverev survived Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7-9), 7-5, 6-4, while Ben Shelton beat Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5. Carlos Alcaraz, playing into the early hours in New York, recovered from losing the first set to beat Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

Jones gives the British group a new name

Francesca Jones beat 32nd seed Magda Linette 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. She now faces 14th seed Iva Jovic, who beat Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3.

Harriet Dart remains in the draw after her first-round win and is scheduled to meet 25th seed Marie Bouzkova. That match is listed for 12:30 EDT (17:30 BST) on 3 September. The other British players who reached round two did not go further: seventh seed Karolina Muchova beat Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0, 18th seed Jiri Lehecka beat Toby Samuel 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, and 27th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Jan Choinski also lost his opening match to Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

Women’s draw keeps moving

Aryna Sabalenka beat Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1, Jessica Pegula beat Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1, and Jasmine Paolini beat Lucrezia Stefanini 6-4, 6-1. Taylor Townsend beat Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1.

30th seed Jelena Ostapenko lost to Tatjana Maria 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Donna Vekic also went out after Ann Li won a deciding-set tie-break, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

Matches to watch next

Dart meets Bouzkova and Jones plays Jovic. Iga Swiatek faces Nadia Podoroska, Naomi Osaka plays Katerina Siniakova, and Coco Gauff meets Paula Badosa. In the men’s draw, Taylor Fritz plays Mattia Bellucci, Alex de Minaur faces Botic van de Zandschulp, and Lorenzo Musetti takes on Dane Sweeny.