U.S. OPEN Federer, Djokovic advance to 2nd round
NEW YORK (TNS) – Roger Federer improved to 18-0 in first-round matches at the U.S. Open and took one step toward a potential quarterfinal showdown against Novak Djokovic, who advanced after fighting through extreme heat that caused him to feel sick during his opening match.
Federer delivered 14 aces and never was in any trouble during a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over 117th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night.
The 20-time major champion is seeking his sixth title at the U.S. Open, but his first in a decade. He would face 13-time major champion Djokovic if each wins three more matches.
Djokovic, who missed the U.S. Open last year because of an elbow injury, made a winning return to Flushing Meadows earlier Tuesday, beating Marton Fucsovics in four sets.
It was a tough one, until Djokovic dominated after the players were allowed to leave the court for 10 minutes following the third and fourth sets. Once they returned, the No. 6 seed finished off a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory in 2 hours, 59 minutes.
Djokovic asked for a trash can during a break in the second set – in case he became ill -- and was provided with several towels with ice for him to cool down. He revealed after the match that during the break between the third and fourth sets, the two competitors stripped down and took ice baths side by side in the locker room before resuming the match.
“It was funny,” Djokovic said. “Marton and I had the ice baths, one next to the other. So we were in the two ice baths, we were naked in the ice baths, and it was quite a wonderful feeling, you know. Battling with a guy for 2½ hours and then you get into the locker room and you haven’t finished the match and you’re naked in the ice baths. It was quite a magnificent feeling, I must say.”
On the women’s side, Caroline Wozniacki breezed past Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday. At No. 2, Wozniacki is the highest-seeded woman left in the field after Simona Halep lost on Monday.
Madison Keys eased into the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over 71st-ranked Pauline Parmentier of France on Tuesday evening.
The 14th-seeded Keys was the runner-up to Sloane Stephens last year.
Maria Sharapova, a fivetime Grand Slam winner and the 2006 U.S. Open champion, got past 39-yearold Patty Schnyder 6-2, 7-6 (6) at Louis Armstrong Stadium in the final match of the day.
Colusa 3, Sutter 0 In Sutter – Hannah Taylor dominated the action at the net with 11 kills and six blocks, and the redhot Redhawks kept their perfect record intact with a sweep of the Huskies at Reynolds Court.
Gillian Ayala added 10 kills and Annie Lay handed out 29 assists for Colusa, which won the match by game scores of 25-18, 2517 and 25-21. Abby Huskey made 29 digs and Mia Critchfield scooted for 12 more to help the cause in the victory.
Hannah Crother and Mikenzi Johnson both recorded seven kills, Maddy Kunkle had 19 assists and two blocks, and Kaitlyn Keeley tallied five digs, six service points and an ace for Sutter.
The Redhawks (13-0) host Gridley tonight, while the Huskies (3-3) travel to Woodland to take on Pioneer. Wheatland 3, Marysville 0
In Wheatland – The Pirates continued their winning ways with a sweep of the Indians in a nonleague match at home.
Abby Meder recorded four kills, six aces and three digs, Jordyn Hoffman had a team-high six kills and Teah Buchan added five more for Wheatland, which won by game scores of 25-8, 25-13 and 25-21.
The Pirates (10-1) host Lincoln in another nonleague match on Thursday. No information from the match was reported by the Indians (0-4), who host Gridley that same night. Faith Christian 3, Esparto 0
In Esparto – Jordyn Helms recorded 18 service points, 13 aces, two kills, five assists and a pair of digs to lead the unbeaten Lions to a sweep of the Spartans in their final nonleague tune-up.
Kyla Rood chipped in with six aces, a kill and two digs, and Lilli Elliott had four kills, a block and two aces to help Faith Christian win the match by game scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 25-15.
The Lions (5-0) open Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League play on Friday in Vacaville against Buckingham Charter. Durham 3, Live Oak 0 In Durham – The Lions suffered their first setback of the season with a 25-19, 25-20, 25-22 loss to the Trojans.
Meliah Eller passed out 10 assists and Makenna Douglas had four blocks at the net to lead the way for Live Oak.
The Lions (3-1) will take the rest of the week off before traveling to play East Nicolaus next Tuesday.
GIRLS TENNIS Live Oak 8, Sutter 1 In Live Oak – The Lions swept all six singles matches to cruise past the Huskies in the Butte View League opener for both teams.
Winning in singles play for Live Oak were Lizzy Allan (6-1, 6-2), Jessie Patrick (6-4, 6-2), Roxy Alvarez (75, 6-4), Gaby Ramirez (6-0, 6-4), Idalis Vallejo (6-1, 6-2) and Erica Valdez (6-0, 6-1).
The Lions also received an 8-4 victory from the team of Alvarez and Ramirez, and an 8-1 win from the duo of Vallejo and Erika Angel in doubles action.
Briana Cooper and Sarah Short joined forces for a 9-7 victory in the No. 1 doubles match to account for Sutter’s lone win.
Live Oak (2-1, 1-0) will host Orland in a BVL match on Thursday, while the Huskies (0-1, 0-1) travel to Orland next Tuesday.
GIRLS GOLF Antelope 275, Yuba City 316
In Linda – The Honkers opened their season with a loss to the Titans in a Capital Valley Conference match at Peach Tree Golf & Country Club.
Sophia Pienta shot a team-low 51 and Tayler Birkholz finished with a 58 for Yuba City (0-1, 0-1 CVC), which is idle before taking on Bella Vista in a conference match on Sept. 6.