NEW YORK — Maria Sharapova’s undefeated record in three-set matches ended Friday, and so did her stay at the U.S. Open.
No. 26 seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy knocked off the 2006 champion 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the third round to hand Sharapova her first loss in 13 three-set matches this year.
“She’s a good fighter,” said Pennetta, who conceded she didn’t know about Sharapova’s record in three-setters. “You can never give up with her. You have to be focused until the last game, until the last point, actually.”
Sharapova made 12 double-faults, including two in the last game. She did not look sharp over a 2 hour, 29-minute match that featured plenty of nervous tennis. Sharapova made 60 unforced errors and lost four break points while trailing 2-0 in the third set.
“I didn’t feel comfortable with most of my game today,” Sharapova said.
After her loss, defending champion Rafael Nadal was leading 6-2, 6-2 against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut when Mahut quit.
Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil was eliminated by No. 25 seed Feliciano Lopez. The Vernon, B.C., native fell to Lopez 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-7 (5) in second-round action.
Pennetta, who also had a big win in Arthur Ashe Stadium two years ago in the round of 16 against Vera Zvonareva, called this one of the biggest victories of her career.
“But it’s just a match,” she said. “It’s over and I have to be focused on the next one.”
Pennetta’s round-of-16 match is against No. 13 Peng Shuai of China, who defeated No. 19 Julia Goerges of Germany, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
The loss by third-seeded Sharapova, the runner-up at Wimbledon this year, kicked yet another top player out of a wide-open draw. Already, the defending Wimbledon and French Open champions have been dispatched and two-time defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters didn’t enter because of an injury.
Earlier, No. 2 Vera Zvonareva defeated No. 30 Anabel Medina Garrigues and No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki is still in the draw, but neither has won a Grand Slam title. Sharapova was largely considered the biggest remaining threat to No. 28 Serena Williams, but now the Russian is gone, as well.
“It’s disappointing to lose in the middle of nowhere, disappointing to lose in New York,” Sharapova said. “Losing isn’t fun for anyone because we work to win. We don’t work to lose.”
Elsewhere at Flushing Meadows, No. 28 John Isner defeated fellow American Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to get to the third round. Isner, who won the title in Winston-Salem last week, is on a seven-match winning streak and said his confidence is “high as it’s ever been.”
“I feel like I’m moving very well, I’m getting to balls and able to get a lot more balls back in play because I’m very comfortable out there,” Isner said.
Another American, Donald Young, defeated No. 14 Stanislas Wawrinka in a five-setter that took 4 hours, 20 minutes and went to a fifth-set tiebreaker. After the match, Patrick McEnroe, the head of player development for the U.S. Tennis Association, said “In tennis terms, Donald Young became a man today.”
Young was the player who directed an obscene message to the USTA via Twitter earlier this year when they made him play in a tournament to try to earn a wild-card entry into the French Open. McEnroe responded by calling a telephone news conference to spell out all the time and money the federation had spent on the 22-year-old’s development.
“I’d like to think I’m a pretty tough person, deep down,” said Young, now ranked 84th in the world. “I just had to grow up a little bit. Everybody’s light goes on at a different time. Hopefully, mine’s coming on right now.”
The main event in Ashe Stadium for Friday night was an all-American matchup between No. 21 Andy Roddick and 18-year-old Jack Sock. Before that, 19-year-old American Christina McHale was to play No. 25 Maria Kirilenko of Russia.
Other winners included the 2009 champion, No. 18 Juan Martin del Potro, and No. 24 seed Juan Ignacio Chela.