CANADIAN young gun Leylah Fernandez has produced a sensational comeback to defeat reigning US Open champion and world number two Naomi Osaka in three sets to book her Round of 16 spot. In the only real upset of day five, Fernandez is the sole unseeded player advancing through to the Round of 16 in the bottom half of the draw, with the other winners all Top 20 players.

Fernandez took two hours and four minutes to defeat Osaka in three sets, coming back from a set down to win 5-7 7-6 6-4 and advance through to the fourth round of the Grand Slam, her career-best effort after a third round appearance in Roland Garros last year. Ranked 73rd in the world, Fernandez was able to weather 15 aces and 37 winners off Osaka’s racquet, hitting six and 28 of her own respectively. She hit 12 less unforced errors (24-36), and was incredibly efficient off her serve with an 80 per cent clip which netted her 78 and 53 per cent of her first and second serve points.

There were a few other three-set matches between Grand Slam winners, as ninth seed Spaniard Garbine Muguruza got the job done against 18th seed Victoria Azarenka in two hours and 15 minutes, 6-4 3-6 6-2. Muguruza hit seven aces to four double faults, with Azarenka notching up the opposite, and whilst Azarenka was able to break four times, Muguruza broke six, and controlled play on the receiving end with a 48 per cent success rate.

She joined fellow major winner, Angelique Kerber in the round of 16 after the German 16th seed took care of past US Open winner Sloane Stephens 5-7 6-2 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes. The German won 68 and 59 per cent of her first and second serve points off an 80 per cent clip, well above Stephens’ 62 and 48 per cent off 71 per cent. Kerber also broke five times to two and took control in the last couple of sets to advance through to the fourth round.

Another Grand Slam winner in Simona Halep had her work cut out for her against rising Kazakhstan hope Elena Rybakina. The higher ranked 12th seed had to fight through an epic 13-11 first set tiebreaker to eventually defeat Rybakina, 7-6 4-6 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes. Halep weathered 14 aces and 34 winners, with only the one and 24 respectively herself, though she hit 16 less unforced errors (36-52) and was more consistent over the long haul, though only four points separated them in total by the end.

In other results, recent Roland Garros winner Barbora Krejcikova knocked off surprise packet Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in straight sets 6-4 6-2 in the quickest match of the day. Meanwhile fifth seed Elina Svitolina toppled another Russian in 25th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4 6-2, and Belgian 15th seed Elise Mertens took care of Tunisian Ons Jabeur 6-3 7-5.

In the late game, second seed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka was taking the court against 26th seed United States representative Danielle Collins.

US OPEN ROUND OF 32:

[2] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) vs. [26] Danielle Collins (USA)
Leylah Fernandez (CAN) defeated [3] Naomi Osaka (JPN) 5-7 7-6 6-4
[5] Elina Svitolina (UKR) defeated [25] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-4 6-2
[8] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) defeated Kamilla Rakhimova (RUS) 6-4 6-2
[9] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [18] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 6-4 3-6 6-2
[12] Simona Halep (ROU) defeated [19] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 7-6 4-6 6-3
[15] Elise Mertens (BEL) defeated [20] Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-3 7-5
[16] Angelique Kerber (GER) defeated Sloane Stephens (USA) 5-7 6-2 6-3

Picture credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA