NEW YORK | If she manages to shake off the pain of defeat, Rebecca Marino will be very proud of what she has achieved at the US Open over the past few days.

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In fact, she was already a bit when she met reporters on Friday, about an hour after losing to China’s Shuai Zhang, ranked 36th in the world, 2-6, 4-6.

Because this third round, played in New York, equals her best performance in a Grand Slam tournament, achieved at Roland-Garros in 2011, or in another life before mental problems kept the Canadian from the places for five years.

“I’m disappointed, because of course I would have liked to win,” emphasized the 31-year-old. But I’m also proud. Many positive things can be drawn from this meeting, from this week.

“It gives me a lot of confidence for the future,” continued the Vancouver player. I’ve had a great summer, but the season isn’t over yet. And I want to play more games against players like them who are in the top 50 in the world. »

NO SOLUTION

On Friday afternoon at the small square 5, where Canadian and Chinese fans hosted the show, Marino could never find the key to tease Zhang. Even her muscular serve failed to confuse the Chinese, who, without being powerful, was extremely precise.

Her penchant for aiming for corners surprised the world No. 106 on several occasions. So much so that Marino couldn’t afford a break point throughout the meeting, which lasted just over an hour.

“She played very well, she was very solid. She didn’t leave me any targets to aim at,” analyzed the Toronto-born Canadian.

“I didn’t have my best service. I didn’t play that well in my first two games either. But she did a great job of getting me out of my comfort zone. »

Get in the top 100

With that third round at the US Open, Marino should be ranked 90th when the new WTA rankings were announced the day after the men’s final.

This is the second time this year that the former 38th in the world has returned to the top 100 almost four years after returning to competition, which was her stated goal.

Now, she says, “the goal is to finish the year in the top 100 in the world.”

“I have other, more personal, longer-term goals,” she emphasized. But this ranking is important because it allows me to play bigger tournaments. »

Among them is the Chennai Open, a WTA 250 category tournament held in India that begins on September 12, the day after the US Open.

► After Leylah Fernandez won her first match in women’s doubles on Thursday, she won the first round match in mixed doubles on Friday. The Quebecer is paired with American Jack Sock, and the pair won 6-2, 2-6, 10-5 against the duo of Belgium’s Kimberley Zimmermann and Germany’s Tim Putz.