Tennis-US Open day three

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Highlights of the third day of the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday (times GMT):

0324 RUUD DEFEATS MONFILS

Former finalist Casper Ruud beat Gael Monfils 6-4 6-2 2-6 7-6(3) to reach the third round, where the Norwegian eighth seed will face China's Shang Juncheng.

0319 DJOKOVIC WINS AS DJERE RETIRES

Defending champion Novak Djokovic progressed to the third round after fellow Serb Laslo Djere retired due to injury. Djokovic was leading the match 6-4 6-4 2-0.

The second seed will face Australia's Alexei Popyrin in the third round.

0306 FRITZ BEATS BERRETTINI

Taylor Fritz, a quarter-finalist last year, beat Italy's Matteo Berrettini 6-3 7-6(1) 6-1 in the second round. The American 12th seed will next face Argentina's Francisco Comesana, who earlier beat 17th seed Ugo Humbert.

Ruud and Monfils resumed their match at the Grandstand after play was suspended due to lighting and rain.

0115 GRANDSTAND MATCH SUSPENDED DUE TO LIGHTNING

The match between Norwegian eighth seed Casper Ruud and Frenchman Gael Monfils at the Grandstand was suspended due to lighting and rain in the fourth set. Organisers asked fans to seek shelter at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

0104 MUSETTI RALLIES TO BEAT KECMANOVIC

Italian 18th seed Lorenzo Musetti overcame a wobbly start to beat Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 3-6 6-4 6-4 2-6 7-5 in three hours and 47 minutes.

0037 GAUFF BEATS MARIA IN FRONT OF CHEERING CROWD

Defending champion Coco Gauff defeated Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-4 6-0 in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium where celebrities including Jessica Biel saw the American third seed continue her quest for the title.

"I think last week I felt more pressure, but now steeping on the court I've got nothing to lose, I'm 20 years old, I've already got it under my belt, I think I've got potential to do more, whether it happens this year or in the future," Gauff said after the match.

0035 AZARENKA RALLIES DESPITE ILLNESS

Two-time Grand Slam champion Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who had her blood pressure checked in the second set calling for the doctor in tears, rallied to beat Frenchwoman Clara Burel 6-1 6-4 to reach the third round.

2316 NAVARRO HAMMERS RUS

American Emma Navarro swept past Dutch Arantxa Rus 6-1 6-1. The 13th seed reaches the third round of the U.S. Open for the first time and will play Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk next.

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2217 SHELTON REACHES THIRD ROUND TO FACE TIAFOE

American 13th seed Ben Shelton beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round where he will meet compatriot Frances Tiafoe in a rematch of last year's quarter-final.

2153 RUBLEV PULLS OFF COMEBACK TO BEAT RINDERKNECH

Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev produced a superb comeback from two sets down to defeat Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 4-6 5-7 6-1 6-2 6-2 in front of an enthusiastic crowd to reach the third round.

2146 COMESANA STUNS HUMBERT

Unseeded Argentinian Francisco Comesana came from a set down to upset 17th-seeded Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4.

2101 SABALENKA EASES PAST BRONZETTI

Former finalist and two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka had little trouble beating Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-3 6-1.

At the end of the match, the second seed took a photograph with a girl in the stands who was dressed in pink to match the Belarusian's outfit and gave her a toy tiger.

"This is something that keeps me going, to be inspired by me... this is what all is for. Thank you so much, you are so cute," said Sabalenka.

1946 OLYMPIC CHAMPION ZHENG OVERCOMES ANDREEVA

Olympic champion and Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen overcame a first-set loss to beat Russian Erika Andreeva 6-7(3) 6-1 6-2.

"I started the match quite slow and little by little I started to feel better about the reaction on my serve. It is too hot today, but the crowd is here suffering with me and thanks again (for all the support)," said China's Zheng.

1939 ZVEREV TO PLAY ETCHEVERRY

German fourth seed Alexander Zverev beat Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-4 7-6(5) 6-1 to set up a third-round meeting with Tomas Etcheverry, who beat fellow countryman Francisco Cerundolo 6-3 4-6 6-4 1-6 6-3.

1919 TIAFOE THROUGH TO THIRD

Frances Tiafoe advanced to the third round after Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko retired in the third set with the American leading 6-4 6-1 1-0. The 20th seed will face compatriot Ben Shelton.

1908 LEHECKA DOWNS KRUEGER

Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic came back from two sets down to survive a stern test against American qualifier Mitchell Krueger 6-7(5) 0-6 6-4 6-4 7-5 in the second round.

1900 HEAT CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR PLAYERS

The high temperatures have affected several matches in the tournament. The clash between Erika Andreeva and Qinwen Zheng in the Grandstand was stopped for 10 minutes by the Heat Rule, while Argentinian Tomas Etcheverry vomited due to the heat during his match against compatriot Francisco Cerundolo.

1805 GRIEKSPOOR ADVANCES AFTER BAEZ WALKOVER

Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor reached the third round for the first time in his career after 21st seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina withdrew from their match in the second set.

1723 DIMITROV MARCHES ON

Former semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, the ninth seed, beat Australian Rinky Hijikata 6-1 6-1 7-6(4) to reach the third round.

1718 KEYS CRUISES INTO THIRD ROUND

Crowd favourite Madison Keys, the 2017 finalist, eased past Maya Joint of Australia 6-4 6-0 in the space of an hour to go into the third round.

1703 NIEMEIER BEATS UCHIJIMA

Jule Niemeier of Germany defeated Japanese Moyuka Uchijima 6-4 6-0 to reach the third round.

1656 RUSE OVERCOMES KREJCIKOVA

Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic 6-4 7-5 to reach the third round.

1651 BADOSA THROUGH TO THIRD ROUND

Paula Badosa of Spain, the 26th seed, beat American Taylor Townsend 6-3 7-5 to reach the third round of the U.S. Open for the first time in her career.

1648 MERTENS ROUTS TOMLJANOVIC

Former Australian Open semi-finalist Belgian Elise Mertens beat former U.S. Open and Wimbledon quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia 6-3 6-2.

1510 PLAY UNDER WAY

Play began under sunny skies in New York, with the temperature hovering around 29 degrees Celsius (84.2°F) with humidity at 66%.

American Taylor Townsend and Spain's Paula Badosa began the second round of action at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic faces Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse at the Grandstand.

U.S. OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY

Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the third day of the U.S. Open (prefix number denotes seeding):

ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM (1600 GMT/12 PM ET)

14-Madison Keys (U.S.) v Maya Joint (Australia)

Alexander Shevchenko (Kazakhstan) v 20-Frances Tiafoe (U.S.)

Tatjana Maria (Germany) v 3-Coco Gauff (U.S.)

Laslo Djere (Serbia) v 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM (1500 GMT/11 AM ET)

Taylor Townsend (U.S.) v 26-Paula Badosa (Spain)

Alexandre Muller (France) v 4-Alexander Zverev (Germany)

Lucia Bronzetti (Italy) v 2-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)

20-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) v Clara Burel (France)

Matteo Berrettini (Italy) v 12-Taylor Fritz (U.S.)

(Reporting by Shifa Jahan, Angelica Medina and Chiranjit Ojha; Editing by Toby Davis, Clare Fallon and Lincoln Feast.)