Djokovic cruises into next round
US OPEN: CHAMPION WINS IN JUST OVER HALF-AN-HOUR
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson beated by ninth seed.
New York
Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes yesterday when Mikhail Youzhny retired at 2-4 down in the first set of their third round clash.
Russian 34-year-old Youzhny had needed treatment on a left leg injury after five games and called it quits just a game later.
The outcome completed a bizarre first week for world number one Djokovic who was also champion in New York in 2011.
After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury.
“I have never had this happen before in my career, getting a walkover and the next match lasting just half-an-hour,” said Djokovic who faces either John Isner of the United States or Britain’s Kyle Edmund for a quarterfinal slot.
“I wish Mikhail a speedy recovery. He said he carried the injury into the match.”
The brief encounter for Djokovic had been preceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women’s eighth seed Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Keys won the latest-ever finishing women’s match at the tournament on Monday when she completed victory over compatriot Alison Riske at 1.48am. Yesterday, the 21-year-old was involved in more drama when she rallied from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3).
The 18-year-old Osaka was so traumatised by her failure to convert her dominance into victory that she broke down in tears as she twice tried and failed to serve for the victory.
Jack Sock, the American 26th seed, reached the fourth round for the first time by knocking out 2014 champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in tie where he did not face a single break point.
The 23-year-old Sock, whose last two appearances at the US Open had ended in retirements, goes on to face French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tsonga, a two-time quarter-finalist, made the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson.
Wozniacki, who knocked out ninth-seeded former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, clinched a seventh win in seven meetings over unorthodox Monica Niculescu of Romania. –