Novak Djokovic strolled into the last eight of the US Open with a three-set win over Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo.

Djokovic is now one behind Roger Federer’s record of 58 grand slam quarter-finals after a 6-2 7-5 6-4 victory.

The Serbian second seed got himself out of a minor pickle at 2-0 down in the second set, breaking back and dropping just four points in his next six service games.

A break to love in the third finished 6ft 5in Gojo off with Djokovic going through in two hours and 25 minutes.

Djokovic, bidding for a 24th grand slam title, said: “I knew Borna has a big game. I saw that he played well in the qualifying round.

“I saw that he’s a big-shot player, his serve and forehand are big weapons, he moves pretty well for a big guy, so the key points for me were to neutralise his serve.”

Djokovic has had a very agreeable draw in New York but he faces American ninth seed Taylor Fritz on Tuesday.

He added: “You know, obviously the matches are only going to get tougher from now onwards, and I’m ready.”

Big-serving Ben Shelton blew away fellow American Tommy Paul to lead the home charge into the quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old from Atlanta fired down two 149mph serves in one game on his way to a 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory.

“I think it was straight adrenaline,” he said. “In any other atmosphere I don’t think I could get it done. I think my arm would fall off, but it’s feeling good right now.”

The record fastest serve at the US Open is still held by Andy Roddick, who hit a 152mph thunderbolt on his way to the title in 2003 – the last time an American man won their home slam.

It was sweet revenge for Shelton, who was knocked out by Paul at the same stage of the Australian Open in January.

He added: “I really learned how to be mentally tough. When I was playing in Australia after a long week, I was looking at my box saying ‘my legs are dead, I’m tired, I can’t go anymore’.

“I realised how important it is to believe in myself, believe that I can go all the way, the full distance emotionally and physically and now I have that belief here.”

Shelton will play 10th seed Frances Tiafoe, guaranteeing at least one American man in the semi-finals.

Tiafoe beat Australian wild card Rinky Hijikata in straight sets, 6-4 6-1 6-4.

“It’s a shame that two of us have to play in the quarter-finals. Maybe we could have three in the semis,” added Shelton.

Fritz beat Dominic Stricker of Switzerland in three sets to make the last eight at Flushing Meadows for the first time.

Teenager Coco Gauff ended the grand-slam comeback of mother-of-two Caroline Wozniacki to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.

The 19-year-old came from a break down in the first and third sets to win both and complete a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory.

Wozniacki’s return has been one of the stories of New York this year, having come out of retirement after more than three years and two children later.

The 33-year-old former world number one has looked as though she has never been away, but a fired-up Gauff proved just too strong in the deciding set.

Wozniacki got off to a dream start with a break in the first game and a 2-0 lead.

But Gauff quickly got back on the board, levelling at 3-3 before going on to clinch the first set without dropping another game.

Wozniacki cranked up the pressure in the second and Gauff started feeling it as her suspect forehand began to misfire and she was broken for 5-3 as the Dane levelled the match.

Gauff looked uncomfortable as she dropped serve again at the start of the decider, but after pointedly ignoring the advice of coach Brad Gilbert, the wound-up American began firing backhand winners as if they were going out of fashion.

She reeled off the next six games to clinch the victory and let out a loud scream of triumph after converting match point.

“Definitely getting it to 2-1 (in the third set) was the turning point,” said Gauff.

“I got broke and I showed I was still in the match. I started to go for my shots.

“Caroline, it’s like she’s never left, the level she played was amazing. It’s weird because I grew up watching Caroline and when she won the Australian Open, so to be on court with her today was an honour.

“She definitely gets to a lot of balls. I felt a bit like I was playing myself. I knew I had to play aggressive and go for my shots. In some moments I miss but I was happy I could get back and refocus.”

It will be the fifth grand slam quarter-final of Gauff’s still-fledgling career and her second at Flushing Meadows.

“I’ve been in this position before,” she added. “And I think I have confidence in myself that I can go even further.”

Big-serving Ben Shelton blew away fellow American Tommy Paul to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.

The 20-year-old from Atlanta fired down two 149mph serves in one game on his way to a 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory at Flushing Meadows.

“I think it was straight adrenaline,” he said. “In any other atmosphere I don’t think I could get it done. I think my arm would fall off, but it’s feeling good right now.”

The record fastest serve at the US Open is still held by Andy Roddick, who hit a 152mph thunderbolt on his way to the title in 2003 – the last time an American man won their home slam.

It was sweet revenge for Shelton, who was knocked out by Paul at the same stage of the Australian Open in January.

He added: “I really learned how to be mentally tough. When I was playing in Australia after a long week, I was looking at my box saying ‘my legs are dead, I’m tired, I can’t go anymore’.

“I realised how important it is to believe in myself, believe that I can go all the way, the full distance emotionally and physically and now I have that belief here.”

Jack Draper arrived at the US Open simply hoping to stay fit, yet now he is chasing a place in the quarter-finals.

The British number four, 21, has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a career-high ranking of 38 to outside the top 100.

A shoulder injury saw him miss Wimbledon and threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper is the only British player reach the last 16 after winning a tight four-set battle with American Michael Mmoh 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Saturday.

And having reached the second week of a grand slam for the first time, Draper is now looking to go even further.

“I mean, when I am playing, I’m not here just to be here and be happy to play. I’m a competitor when I get into the matches. I want to win everything,” he said.

“Definitely at the start of the week, there was real concern about my body and with the year I’ve had, whether I’d be able to play one match.

“Obviously it’s the best-of-five sets, so it’s completely different to what a three-set match even holds.

“You know, we just wanted to stay fit this trip. That was kind of the goal, you know, to get consistent competition in, because that’s just something I haven’t had.

“To come here this week and to play the way I have and to compete the way I have and for my body to hold up has been, it’s been pretty special for me, really.”

Draper faces Andrey Rublev, the combustible Russian eighth seed, for a place in the last eight.

“He’s been top 10 for many years, having great results, consistently doing well in the slams and won his first 1000 event this year,” added Draper.

“Anyone who you play in the fourth round, I suppose they’ve won three matches and they’re playing good tennis and feeling good out here, so it will be really difficult either way.”

Jack Draper arrived at the US Open simply hoping to stay fit, yet now he is chasing a place in the quarter-finals.

The British number four, 21, has endured an injury-hit year and slipped from a career-high ranking of 38 to outside the top 100.

A shoulder injury saw him miss Wimbledon and threatened his participation at Flushing Meadows.

Yet despite serving within himself in a bid to manage the problem, Draper is the only British player reach the last 16 after winning a tight four-set battle with American Michael Mmoh 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Saturday.

And having reached the second week of a grand slam for the first time, Draper is now looking to go even further.

“I mean, when I am playing, I’m not here just to be here and be happy to play. I’m a competitor when I get into the matches. I want to win everything,” he said.

“Definitely at the start of the week, there was real concern about my body and with the year I’ve had, whether I’d be able to play one match.

“Obviously it’s the best-of-five sets, so it’s completely different to what a three-set match even holds.

“You know, we just wanted to stay fit this trip. That was kind of the goal, you know, to get consistent competition in, because that’s just something I haven’t had.

“To come here this week and to play the way I have and to compete the way I have and for my body to hold up has been, it’s been pretty special for me, really.”

Draper faces Andrey Rublev, the combustible Russian eighth seed, for a place in the last eight.

“He’s been top 10 for many years, having great results, consistently doing well in the slams and won his first 1000 event this year,” added Draper.

“Anyone who you play in the fourth round, I suppose they’ve won three matches and they’re playing good tennis and feeling good out here, so it will be really difficult either way.”

Andre Agassi retired from tennis after being knocked out of the US Open by Benjamin Becker, on this day in 2006.

It brought a career which lasted two decades and yielded eight grand-slam titles to an end – but only after an applause which reduced the American to tears on multiple occasions.

The two-time winner at Flushing Meadows had announced the tournament in New York would be his last following his Wimbledon exit in June, with extreme back pain causing the former world number one intense discomfort whenever he was on the court.

Agassi managed to make it through to the third round after gruelling victories over Andrei Pavel and Marcos Baghdatis before big-serving Becker brought his career to an end with a 7-5 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-5 win.

What followed from the spectators inside Arthur Ashe Stadium was a lengthy standing ovation for the home favourite before he wiped away the tears to deliver an emotional retirement speech.

“The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard doesn’t say is what I found,” Agassi said in his on-court interview to the crowd.

“Over the last 21 years I have found loyalty. You have pulled me through on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration, you have willed me to exceed and sometimes in my lowest moments.

“And I have found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams – dreams I could have never reached without you.

“Over the last 21 years I have found you and I will thank you and take the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.”

Agassi bowed out of the sport 10 years after he claimed Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996, another honour on his CV along with his eight major titles.

The first occurred at Wimbledon in 1992, two years after he had started to fulfil his potential with success at the end-of-season Masters Cup, before a maiden US Open title followed in 1994.

Agassi sealed the first of four Australian Open triumphs in 1995 and clinched a career Grand Slam when he completed a remarkable comeback to win at Roland Garros in 1999, having dropped to 141 in the rankings 18 months earlier due to factors including a failed drugs test and a problematic ankle injury.

Following his retirement, Agassi has raised money for children in Southern Nevada through his foundation, while residing in the state with wife Steffi Graf – who won 22 grand slams – and their children Jaden and Jaz.

Jack Draper is the last Brit standing at the US Open after reaching the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time.

The 21-year-old, an impressive 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 winner against tricky American Michael Mmoh, will face eighth seed Andriy Rublev in the last 16.

But Cameron Norrie bowed out along with Dan Evans – who gave Carlos Alcaraz a serious work-out before losing in four sets – and Katie Boulter.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at day 6 at the US Open

Pic of the dayShot of the day

Probably shot of the tournament. Any tournament.

Match of the day

Evans’ showdown with Alcaraz inside Arthur Ashe Stadium took a little time to warm up, but once it got going it was a joy to watch. The defending champion had to dip into his armoury of explosive winners to finally see off the British number two 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Brit watch

Draper laid a few ghosts to rest with his win in the Grandstand Stadium.

It was the same court upon which, a year earlier, Draper suffered a hamstring injury which forced him to retire from his match with Karen Khachanov.

He said: “I was thinking that on the court today it’s like Groundhog Day out there. I think it was exactly one year on.

“To come here a year on, despite maybe my ranking having dropped a fair bit because of the injuries and not being able to be on the same confidence level that I was last year, you know, I’m incredibly proud of that and hopefully I can keep going this week.”

Boulter was beaten 6-4 6-3 by 21-year-old American Peyton Stearns and Norrie lost a disappointing match in three sets to Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

Quote of the dayFallen seeds

Women: Liudmila Samsonova (14), Elina Svitolina (26), Marie Bouzkova (31)
Men: Cameron Norrie (16), Grigor Dimitrov (19), Nicolas Jarry (23), Dan Evans (26).

Who’s up next?

The fourth round gets under way with a tasty tie between teenager Coco Gauff and 33-year-old mother of two Caroline Wozniacki. Iga Swiatek faces Jelena Ostapenko and Novak Djokovic takes on Croatian quailfier Borna Gojo.

British number one Katie Boulter’s run at the US Open was ended in the third round by Peyton Stearns.

The 27-year-old from Leicester picked up two fine wins in her opening two matches, but American world number 59 Stearns proved too strong on a breezy Court 17.

Boulter was gunning for revenge having lost to Stearns across three tie-breaks and three-and-half hours in Texas in February.

But this was never as close a match despite Boulter clawing back an early break in the first set.

Holding serve was becoming an arduous task and Stearns duly struck again to pinch the opener.

A solitary break in the second was enough to send Boulter packing as 21-year-old Stearns ran out a 6-4 6-3 winner.

Boulter can be proud of her efforts in New York, however, with a place in the world’s top 50 on the cards for the first time in her career.

Dan Evans pushed world number one Carlos Alcaraz all the way before bowing out of the US Open following a breathtaking third-round match.

The defending champion had to dip into his armoury of explosive winners to finally see off the British number two inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The last time Evans played the top-ranked player he rose to the occasion, beating Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo three years ago.

And the 26th seed brought the very best out of the 20-year-old Wimbledon champion before succumbing 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Alcaraz dominated the first set, constantly pushing his opponent to the back of the court and hitting 14 winners to Evans’ four.

But he showed he is not infallible at the start of the second after a double-fault gave Evans, who was beginning to relish the challenge, a break point which he converted with a superb backhand down the line.

Alcaraz quickly retrieved the break and a frustrated Evans was given a code violation after slicing the ball into the crowd after netting a volley at 15-30 up on the Spaniard’s serve.

Evans was playing well, but Alcaraz simply raised his level and brought up set point with a blistering forehand down the line which brought gasps from the spectators.

Evans saved that one, but could do nothing with the next after an exquisite lob and simple volley put Alcaraz two sets up.

Never one to give up without a fight, Evans promptly played one of the best sets of his career.

He broke for 4-3 and, serving for the set, forced Alcaraz into some of the most outrageous clutch winners.

The pair, who played golf together at Wimbledon, frequently exchanged knowing looks and grins, such was the quality of the cat-and-mouse tennis on show.

It took Evans, 33, five set points to make the breakthrough, prompting a suddenly exasperated Alcaraz to slam his racket down in frustration.

But Alcaraz turned the match back in his favour with another stunning shot on break point. On the run and at full stretch, he unleashed a forehand down the line which clipped the baseline and left Evans stood, hands on hips, in sheer disbelief.

Two aces, another sensational lob onto the baseline and a 61st winner of the match finished Evans off, but Alcaraz knew he had been in a contest.

“He’s a tricky opponent, great slices, good touch and it’s my game as well so it was a pretty good match,” said Alcaraz.

“We made great points, great shots, a lot of different situations, so I’m really happy to get through

“We played some great points that made us smile, Dan as well. It’s great to see Dan and I on a tennis court, we tried to entertain and make the match fun.”

Jack Draper has reached the second week of a grand slam for the first time after beating American Michael Mmoh in the third round of the US Open.

The British number four silenced the home crowd with a gritty display in a 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3 victory.

The Grandstand court at Flushing Meadows is an intimidating place for an overseas player taking on an American, but Draper had almost emptied it when he went 2-0 ahead.

Mmoh, ranked 89 in the world, hit back in the third, but Draper dug deep to break for 4-2 in the fourth before clinching a huge win.

Grandstand is also the court which Draper hurt his hamstring a year ago in his third-round match against Karen Khachanov, forcing him to retire.

The 21-year-old has been beset by injuries ever since and was a doubt to even play in New York due to a tear in his shoulder.

Yet Draper, serving with less vim than usual in a bid to manage the problem, still thumped 52 winners to surge into the last 16.

He said: “It was a tough match, Michael is an incredible player who has had a great year and I knew would be a challenge. I was proud of the way I came through it.

“Last year was really difficult, I injured myself and didn’t want that to happen today. To come it through after a tough year for me, I’m very happy.”

Novak Djokovic maintained his bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title but he had to do it the hard way as he came back from two sets down to beat fellow Serb Laslo Djere.

The three-time US Open champion recovered from losing the opening two sets 4-6 4-6 to break his opponent’s serve in the first game of the third and that provided the catalyst for him to put together a run of which saw him win 6-1 6-1 6-3 to progress to the fourth round.

It was the eighth time in his career the three-time champion Djokovic, who is aiming to match Australian Margaret Court’s tally of major wins, had successfully recovered from such a deficit.

He took a break after losing the second set and after his victory, said: “I did a pep talk in the mirror. It worked.

“I laughed at myself because I was so agitated and annoyed with the game. I had to force myself to lift my spirits.”

Djokovic will next play Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo, the world number 105.

Czech qualifier Jakub Mensik did not hit many happy returns at the US Open as he was crushed by Taylor Fritz on his 18th birthday.

American hope Fritz, the ninth seed, played the ultimate party pooper and gave Mensik just three games in a 6-1 6-2 6-0 victory.

“I felt good. I kind of had a clear plan of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to play him,” said Fritz, 25.

“I returned well. I was moving really well. Yep, I just played a solid match.”

Incredibly, Fritz has dropped just 13 games in his three matches in New York so far. He will face 21-year-old Swiss sensation Dominic Stricker in round four.

The USA are waiting for a first home men’s champion since Andy Roddick 20 years ago, but they already have four in the last 16 with Michael Mmoh potentially a fifth.

They will definitely have at least one quarter-finalist as Tommy Paul beat Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1 6-0 3-6 6-3, and he will face Ben Shelton, who got past Aslan Karatsev of Russia 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-0.

Frances Tiafoe, the 10th seed, came from a set down to beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino to set up a clash with Rinky Hijikata of Australia.

“When any of us see the others having good results, it’s motivating,” added Fritz. “I think they’d all say the same thing.

“But it’s motivating. Because if one of us does something, the others not only want to do it too, they now believe that they can also do it because we think we’re as good as each other. If he did this here, then why can’t I?”

He continued: “I think it’s kind of this progression that we’ve had for a while now, why we’re at where we’re at.

“Someone achieves something big, then someone else comes and wants to match him or one-up him, and it’s the cycle that keeps going.

“We’re all such good friends, it’s motivating, for sure.”

Czech qualifier Jakub Mensik did not hit many happy returns at the US Open as he was crushed by Taylor Fritz on his 18th birthday.

American hope Fritz, the ninth seed, played the ultimate party pooper and gave Mensik just three games in a 6-1 6-2 6-0 victory.

“I felt good. I kind of had a clear plan of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to play him,” said Fritz, 25.

“I returned well. I was moving really well. Yep, I just played a solid match.”

Incredibly, Fritz has dropped just 13 games in his three matches in New York so far. He will face 21-year-old Swiss sensation Dominic Stricker in round four.

The USA are waiting for a first home men’s champion since Andy Roddick 20 years ago, but they already have four in the last 16 with Michael Mmoh potentially a fifth.

They will definitely have at least one quarter-finalist as Tommy Paul beat Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1 6-0 3-6 6-3, and he will face Ben Shelton, who got past Aslan Karatsev of Russia 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-0.

Frances Tiafoe, the 10th seed, came from a set down to beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino to set up a clash with Rinky Hijikata of Australia.

“When any of us see the others having good results, it’s motivating,” added Fritz. “I think they’d all say the same thing.

“But it’s motivating. Because if one of us does something, the others not only want to do it too, they now believe that they can also do it because we think we’re as good as each other. If he did this here, then why can’t I?”

He continued: “I think it’s kind of this progression that we’ve had for a while now, why we’re at where we’re at.

“Someone achieves something big, then someone else comes and wants to match him or one-up him, and it’s the cycle that keeps going.

“We’re all such good friends, it’s motivating, for sure.”

Czech qualifier Jakub Mensik did not hit many happy returns at the US Open as he was crushed by Taylor Fritz on his 18th birthday.

American hope Fritz, the ninth seed, played the ultimate party pooper and gave Mensik just three games in a 6-1 6-2 6-0 victory.

“I felt good. I kind of had a clear plan of what I wanted to do, how I wanted to play him,” said Fritz, 25.

“I returned well. I was moving really well. Yep, I just played a solid match.”

Incredibly, Fritz has dropped just 13 games in his three matches in New York so far. He will face 21-year-old Swiss sensation Dominic Stricker in round four.

The USA are waiting for a first home men’s champion since Andy Roddick 20 years ago, but they already have four in the last 16 with Michael Mmoh potentially a fifth.

They will definitely have at least one quarter-finalist as Tommy Paul beat Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-1 6-0 3-6 6-3, and he will face Ben Shelton, who got past Aslan Karatsev of Russia 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-0.

Frances Tiafoe, the 10th seed, came from a set down to beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino to set up a clash with Rinky Hijikata of Australia.

“When any of us see the others having good results, it’s motivating,” added Fritz. “I think they’d all say the same thing.

“But it’s motivating. Because if one of us does something, the others not only want to do it too, they now believe that they can also do it because we think we’re as good as each other. If he did this here, then why can’t I?”

He continued: “I think it’s kind of this progression that we’ve had for a while now, why we’re at where we’re at. Someone achieves something big, then someone else comes and wants to match him or one-up him, and it’s the cycle that keeps going.

“We’re all such good friends, it’s motivating, for sure.”

The next time Iga Swiatek takes her best friend Kaja Juvan out for dinner, bagels are unlikely to be on the menu.

The world number one and defending US Open champion thrashed Slovakian qualifier Juvan 6-0 6-1 to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

The pair had been out for a meal in New York just last week, and Swiatek spoke of their enduring friendship on the WTA Tour before the match.

But with friends like Swiatek, who needs enemies? The Pole surrendered just eight points as she raced away with the first set to love in only 33 minutes.

Juvan did at least avoid the dreaded ‘double-bagel’, finally getting a game on the board 40 minutes into the match for 3-1 in the second and raising her arms aloft in mock triumph to the acclaim of the Louis Armstrong crowd.

But it was only delaying the inevitable, with Swiatek wrapping up another clinical, statement victory – she beat Rebecca Peterson by the same scoreline in the first round – in well under an hour.

“I didn’t like that I was winning with my best friend but I knew I had to be focused and not think about that,” said the 22-year-old.

“It’s like playing your sister. I don’t have many friends and she’s my best friend so that was the toughest, for sure.”

Dan Evans plans to fight fire with fire when he takes on defending champion and current world number one Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.

The British number two is through to the third round at Flushing Meadows for the sixth time in his career after a four-set win over Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

His ‘reward’ is a match-up with 20-year-old Spaniard Alcaraz, who picked up his first grand slam title in New York last year and added the Wimbledon crown earlier this summer.

Evans, seeded 26, said: “It’s a little annoying to have him in the top eight of the draw but it is what it is.

“It will be a good match. I am really looking forward to it and will play aggressively.

“It’s a very difficult draw. He will obviously be the overwhelming favourite but it’s a good opportunity to play a very good tennis player on a big stage. That is why you play tennis.”

Alcaraz has won both of their previous two meetings in straight sets, but Evans boasts a better record on the golf course after the pair played a few holes at Wimbledon.

“Of course, his golf is much better than mine, that’s for sure,” said Alcaraz. “We played a little bit before Wimbledon. We had such a great time at the course.”

Katie Boulter has reached the third round of an overseas grand slam for the first time and is on the brink of breaking into the world’s top 50.

The 27-year-old from Leicester faces Peyton Stearns, a young American who she lost to in three tie-breaks in a marathon match in Austin, Texas, in February.

“I actually played probably the longest match of my career against her in Austin this year,” she said. “It was a 7-6 in the third, five in the tie-break loss. It was a brutal match. Three hours and 25 minutes.

“I’m expecting a lot. I mean, she’s a real talent. She’s a great player. The courts suit her a lot here.

“Again, I know it’s going to be physical and I’m going to have to be ready and playing some of my best tennis to beat her.”

British number one Cameron Norrie has what looks like another winnable tie against Italian world number 61 Matteo Arnaldi.

But if he gets through, the 28-year-old will run into Alcaraz – or Evans – in the fourth round.

Jack Draper, who brilliantly accounted for 17th seed Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday, faces American Michael Mmoh.