NEW YORK -- Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, the 15th seed, was eliminated in the third round of the U.S. Open on Sunday by unseeded Spaniard Albert Costa 6-4, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2).

Ivanisevic, 29, dropped his fourth match in a row against 40th-ranked Costa, who beat the lanky Croat three times last season.

Ivanisevic, who registered a remarkable victory at Wimbledon as a wild card, had won his first two matches at the National Tennis Center in straight sets.

"I had chances in the first, second and third sets, all three could have been 6-0," said Ivanisevic. "In all the tie-breaks I didn't put my first serve in."

"Overall I hit the ball well, but he's a good player.

"I missed a lot of easy balls, easy volleys, but that's the way it goes.

"I had a lot of luck at Wimbledon but not here."

Costa reached the second round of the Open last year after being eliminated in the first round in his five previous Opens.

"I played a great match," said Costa, a 26-year-old Spaniard. "I was playing with a lot of confidence."

Costa will next meet the winner of Sunday night's match between world No. 1 and top seed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil and Max Mirnyi of Belarus.