Toilet humour

Mannarino acknowledged his good fortune and said Shelton would likely have won the match had injury not struck.

“It’s very unfortunate for him and lucky for me,” said Mannarino, who had disappeared for a bathroom break at the end of the fourth set when Shelton called it quits.

“I’m 37 years old, it’s the first time I’m winning a match from the toilet.”

Tiafoe then slumped to his earliest US Open exit in six years as the 17th seed was bundled out 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) by Struff, who advanced to the last 16 in New York for the first time.

The German had not won a match at Flushing Meadows before this tournament since reaching the third round in 2020.

“It’s going to be hard to swallow how I played today and being out of the US Open, for sure, this early,” rued Tiafoe.

“I don’t know how to recover from this, to be honest with you. I haven’t been this down in a very, very long time.”

The loss of Shelton and Tiafoe leaves just two Americans in the men’s draw, 2024 runner-up Taylor Fritz and 14th seed Tommy Paul.

Fritz overcame plucky Swiss qualifier Jerome Kym in four sets in the night session, advancing 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (9/11), 6-4, 6-4.

“It’s the US Open, as an American, it’s the most important two weeks of the entire year,” said world number four Fritz. “I want it bad.”

Czech 21st seed Tomas Machac awaits Fritz in the fourth round on Sunday.

Paul meanwhile next faces the dangerous Alexander Bublik after surviving a brutal five-set epic against Nuno Borges that finished at 1:46 am early Friday.

Andy Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory is the last men’s major won by an American player.