Dane Sweeny, the last Australian player remaining in the singles draws at the US Open, has lost to Italian Luciano Darderi in the third round. The match was a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat for Sweeny, who complained of a hip injury and made "a lot of cheap errors". Sweeny's exit marks the first time Australia will not have a second-week singles player at the US Open in five years. The loss means Sweeny will still earn $402,500 and a career-high ranking.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Dane Sweeny, a 25-year-old Australian wildcard player from the Sunshine Coast, has been eliminated from the US Open in the third round. He was defeated by Luciano Darderi, an Italian player ranked 22nd in the world, with a score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Sweeny's loss means that there are no longer any Australian players competing in the singles draws at the US Open for the first time in five years. Despite his elimination, Sweeny has had an impressive tournament, including a second-round victory over Italian player Lorenzo Musetti, who is ranked 14th in the world. This win earned Sweeny over $400,000 in prize money and will likely give him a career-high ranking of No.109 once the tournament ends. Sweeny still has a chance to make his top-100 debut and earn direct acceptance into next year's Australian Open by doing so within the next three months.
Written for “Australian Players at US Open” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Dane Sweeny lost 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 to Italy's Luciano Darderi in the third round.
asserted
Sweeny → lose → round
Past US Open finalists Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova were all eliminated.
asserted
finalists → eliminate → ?
Dane Sweeny's gallant US Open campaign has come to a frustrating end with a tough third-round loss to 21st-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi.
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campaign → come → Darderi
Sweeny complained of a hip injury during a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 defeat to the world number 22 that left Australia without a second-week singles hope in New York for the first time in five years.
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that → complain → years
Alex de Minaur's shock second-round loss to Botic van de Zandschulp meant Sweeny was Australia's last player standing at Flushing Meadows.
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Sweeny → mean → Meadows
"It's been an amazing week, a career-changing week, but I can't help but feel a bit disappointed just with today's performance," Sweeny said.
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Sweeny → change → performance
"I just wasn't really feeling it, just not really feeling the timing and the rhythm as I have been.
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I → feel → timing
I just made a lot of cheap errors and that was quite frustrating.
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that → make → errors
"I was OK to lose a match, but I really wanted to test him more and bring a good level so I could make an absolute fight out of it.
uncertain
I → lose → it
"Win or lose, I wanted to really make him work for the victory at least and I wasn't able to do that.
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I → win → that
The world number 123 only gained a last-minute entry to the US Open after two late withdrawals allowed Tennis Australia to grant Sweeny the reciprocal wildcard it initially handed to Alexei Popyrin.
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it → gain → Popyrin
Despite his disappointment, Sweeny cashed in on his good fortune.
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Sweeny → cash → fortune
The 25-year-old turned his first US Open main-draw appearance into a watershed run to the last 32 of a major for the first time.
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old → turn → time
The Queenslander will walk away with a life-changing cheque for $402,500 and a fresh career-high ranking.
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Queenslander → walk → 402,500
"The financial side of things, that will help with coaching and people you travel with," Sweeny said.
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Sweeny → help → coaching
Sweeny is provisionally slated to climb to number 109 in the world.
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Sweeny → slat → world
If he can crack the top 100 by season's end, Sweeny will earn direct entry to the Australian Open for the first time.
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Sweeny → crack → time
But that will take care of itself," Sweeny said.
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Sweeny → take → itself
"It's hard not to worry about that because we're indoctrinated to want that low number next to our name, but I can just focus on working hard, focus on improving.
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I → worry → name
American tilt takes a hit
Past US Open finalists Taylor Fritz, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova all crashed out in the third round, dealing a stinging blow to home fans.
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finalists → take → fans
Men's ninth seed Fritz had yet to drop a set in New York and looked well on his way to another routine victory before Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo found his best tennis to flip the script and win 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
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Cerundolo → have → script
It was the earliest exit in four years for the 2024 runner-up, as Cerundolo reached the fourth round for the first time.
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Cerundolo → reach → time
The American women fared no better as China's Zheng Qinwen fought back from a 5-0 deficit in the decider to beat 2017 runner-up Keys 1-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, collapsing on the court in utter joy as she fights back from a career slump.
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she → fare → slump
Zheng will next face 2022 champion and former world number one, Iga Świątek, who got past Czech Marie Bouzková 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3).
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who → face → Bouzková
Tenth-seeded Anisimova, last year's runner-up, was unable to reverse her fortunes in a frustrating year at the majors, with a 6-2, 7-5 defeat by Anastasia Potapova.
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Anisimova → reverse → Potapova
Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open winner, provided the lone bright spot for the Americans when she beat Spain's Cristina Bucșa 6-3, 6-4 in the third round.
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she → provide → round
