Former finalists Taylor Fritz, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys crash out of US Open

Home favourites and former US Open finalists endured a terrible day on Saturday as all three of Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys and Taylor Fritz lost in the third round.

Last year’s runner-up Amanda Anisimova lost in straight sets while Keys squandered a match point in a three-set loss and Fritz, the 2024 finalist, lost from two sets to love up against Francisco Cerundolo.

2017 finalist Keys saved five match points in her previous match, winning a thrilling deciding-set tiebreak, but there were no signs of that astonishing fightback as she instead collapsed in remarkable fashion against Qinwen Zheng.

The Olympic champion won the final seven games to beat the 22nd seed 1-6 7-6(3) 7-5.

Keys raced to a 5-0 lead in the final set and had match point on her serve at 5-1 but after failing to convert it momentum swung dramatically, leaving the American smacking her head with her racquet.

Zheng, who has slumped to world No 121 after an elbow injury which required surgery, had to come through qualifying to reach the main draw, but has previously enjoyed success in New York, reaching the quarter-finals twice.

She said: “I’m just telling myself keep holding every single point, never give up, stay there and somehow little by little it just happened.

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Zheng dropped to the court in joy as she overcame Keys (AP)

Earlier on Saturday Anisimova lost 6-2 7-5 to 24th seed Anastasia Potapova, who was born in Russia but now represents Austria.

10th seed Anisimova, who has also been on the comeback trail this year after a wrist injury, was the picture of misery as she fell in the third round for the third grand slam in a row.

She converted just three of her 16 break point chances while 25-year-old Potapova surged ahead to equal her best performance at a major.

Later on Saturday Fritz fell 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 4-6 to 24th seed Cerundolo, spurning three break points at 4-3 in the final set before immediately falling a break down.

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Taylor Fritz lost from two sets to love up (Getty)

The Argentinian, playing his first match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, kept his cool to serve out the match from 0-30 down in his next service game, winning from two sets down for only the second time in his career.

Cerundolo said: “In the third I started to get into it, step by step, and in the fourth and fifth I played really good tennis. Taylor is a top player, he’s played in the final here, so winning, my first time on Arthur Ashe, it’s fantastic. I hope you enjoy, I know I’m not the local one, sorry, I try my best, hopefully I can get you all on my side in the next one.”

French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli also lost on a day of shocks, with the fifth seed falling 7-6(5) 3-6 0-6 3-6 to Belgian 28th seed Alexander Blockx, who is through to the last 16 of a major for the first time.

But 2022 champion Iga Swiatek managed to avoid an upset as she held off Czech 25th seed Marie Bouzkova in two tight tiebreaks, winning 7-6(3) 7-6(3).