Rybakina out, Ponchet in third round

Finally, there will be a Frenchwoman in the last sixteen of the US Open.

Having successfully emerged from qualifying, Jessika Ponchet made the most of her opportunity in the first round, knocking out Saisai Zheng, still in search of her first win of the season (6-4, 6-1).

Although she was set to face world No. 4 Elena Rybakina in the second round, the Frenchwoman will not be playing at Stadium 17 this Thursday.

For the 9th time this season, the Kazakh has announced her withdrawal from the competition, propelling the Frenchwoman into the 3rd round of the US Open.

For Rybakina, this is beginning to take its toll, and the question of her physical capacity to cope with the level of the circuit over the long term may well arise.

What's even stranger is that the 25-year-old refused to give a reason for her withdrawal.