Gabriel Diallo plays in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, August 31, 2024.Kirsty Wigglesworth/The Canadian Press
Gabriel Diallo’s impressive run at the U.S. Open is over.
The 22-year-old from Montreal lost 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (3)to No. 14 seed Tommy Paul of the United States in the third round of the Grand Slam tennis tournament on Saturday.
Diallo, ranked 143rd in the world entering the tournament, qualified for only his second main draw at a major.
After winning three qualifying rounds, he upset No. 24 seed Arthur Fils of France in the second round and world No. 84 Jaume Munar of Spain in the main-draw opener at Flushing Meadows.
Diallo, who was the last Canadian remaining in the singles competition, is expected to move up to a career-high 103rd in the next ATP rankings.
A group of fans at Louis Armstrong Stadium chanted “Let’s go Diallo!” amid the pro-American crowd.
Paul broke Diallo three times in the opening set, but each time Diallo answered back with a break of his own to force a tiebreaker.
Diallo then hit an ace on set point to take the frame. Paul, however, cruised through the second and third sets.
In the fourth, Diallo earned two break points with the players tied 5-5 but couldn’t convert.
Paul jumped to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreaker. Diallo held off two match points, but the American ultimately took the match in three hours 26 minutes.
Paul had nine breaks to Diallo’s five and 50 unforced errors to Diallo’s 77.
In women’s doubles, defending U.S. Open champions Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand advanced to the third round.
The No. 1 seeds defeated American Catherine Harrison and Poland’s Alicja Rosolska 7-5, 6-4, winning the match in 86 minutes. Dabrowski and Routliffe will face Angelica Moratelli of Italy and Jaqueline Cristian of Romania on Sunday in the round of 16.