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US Open 2016: Kyle Edmund set for Novak Djokovic fourth-round match

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September
Coverage: Live commentary on Radio 5 live sports extra plus live text on the big matches on the BBC Sport website and app.

Kyle Edmund says he will try to take the game to Novak Djokovic when he faces the world number one in the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday.

The 21-year-old world number 84 has beaten two seeds to reach the last 16 for the first time in his career.

Edmund, whose match starts around 02:00 BST on Monday, said: “I’ll look to play aggressively as that’s my game.”

Fellow Brit Johanna Konta will bid for a quarter-final place when she plays Anastasija Sevastova at 16:00 BST.

Konta, the 13th seed, collapsed on court during her second-round victory over Tsvetana Pironkova but looked to have made a full recovery in an impressive third-round win over Belinda Bencic.

Sevastova, ranked 48 in the world, beat French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round before overcoming Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko in the third.

“I do know her and have been on court with her,” Konta said. “But that was a number of years ago.

“She’s obviously playing very good tennis and I have a lot of respect for her.”

Is Djokovic rusty?

Edmund will hope that the defending champion might be a little bit rusty after only playing one full match to reach the last 16.

Djokovic, who was troubled by an upper arm injury in his four-set victory over Jerzy Janowicz in the first round, has had two walkovers because of injuries to his opponents and completed just six games in the last two rounds.

But the 29-year-old Serb, a 12-time Grand Slam winner, argued the extra recovery could be beneficial.

“Considering the stage of the season and the amount of matches I’ve played, and what I’ve been through with my body, I think it’s actually good to have some days off and then shorter matches,” he said.

“The arm is doing very well. Everything is going in the right direction. I feel significantly better now than I did at the beginning of the tournament.”

Matches you dream about

Edmund lost 6-3 6-3 when he played Djokovic for the first time in Miami earlier this year, but said he had learnt a lot.

“He beat me in straight sets but I had some success,” said the British number four. “In the middle of the match I started taking it to him a bit more.

“That’s my game and that’s what I’ve been doing this tournament.

“These are the situations you want to be in, what you dream about, reaching the fourth round of a slam and now getting the opportunity to play the world number one.”

Losing is not the end of the world – Sevastova

Fed up with injuries, 26-year-old Sevastova retired from tennis in 2013 and decided to take up a course in management.

“I did some studying, played tennis with kids, gave some lessons,” Sevastova said. “It was strange. I didn’t find it that difficult to study but, yeah, it made me go back to tennis.”

Sevastova, who returned to the professional game in January last year, added: “After coming back of course you enjoy it when you win more.

“Now I can see there is life after tennis as well and if you lose a match it’s not the end of the world. The world does not collapse.”

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Serena Williams powers into US Open fourth round

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September
Coverage: Live commentary on Radio 5 live sports extra plus live text on the big matches on the BBC Sport website and app.

Serena Williams powered to a record 307th Grand Slam match win to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

The world number one moved ahead of Martina Navratilova for most match wins in a major by a woman, and tied Roger Federer’s mark for men with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Sweden’s Johanna Larsson.

“That’s pretty awesome and what a place to do it, where everything first started,” said the 34-year-old.

Serena won her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 1999.

“To be up there with both men and women is something that’s super rare, and it actually feels really good,” she added.

The American is bidding to claim a 23rd Grand Slam singles title, which would see her surpass Steffi Graf as the most successful woman in the Open Era.

The six-time US Open champion, whose number one ranking is under threat, next faces Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, a 6-2 7-5 winner over China’s Zhang Shuai.

Sister Venus Williams, the sixth seed and oldest woman in the tournament at 36, also went through with a 6-1 6-2 win over 26th seed Laura Siegemund of Germany.

Venus, who won back-to-back US Open titles in 2000 and 2001, will compete for a quarter-final berth against Czech 10th seed Karolina Pliskova, who beat 17th-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2 6-4.

She will meet her sister Serena in the semi-finals if both continue their winning form.

‘Fighting to the end for every ball’

Fifth seed Simona Halep of Romania smashed her racquet in frustration before avoiding an upset by defeating Hungary’s Timea Babos 6-1 2-6 6-4.

Halep trailed 3-1 in the deciding set but fought back to reach the last 16.

“I don’t know how I came back. I felt like I didn’t play my best but I was fighting to the end for every ball,” she said.

Halep will play Spain’s 11th seed Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the quarter-finals.

Suarez celebrated her 28th birthday with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Russian Elena Vesnina.

Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland overcame France’s Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-3 and will face Ana Konjuh of Croatia next.

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US Open 2016: Johanna Konta reaches fourth round

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September
Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra plus text coverage on the big matches on the BBC Sport website and app

Britain’s Johanna Konta produced a commanding display to beat Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-1 and secure her place in the US Open fourth round in New York.

Konta, showing no sign of the health issues that affected her during the second round, brushed aside the Swiss 24th seed in 52 minutes.

The 25-year-old, ranked 13, reached the fourth round last year and made the Australian Open semi-finals in January.

Fellow Briton Kyle Edmund also reached the last 16 by beating John Isner.

Edmund, one of three British men in the third round, overcame the big-serving American in four sets and will face Novak Djokovic in the last 16.

Konta served with pace and accuracy from the start to keep 19-year-old Bencic on the back foot and a run of seven unanswered games gave her complete control.

She did not give away a single break point, won 19 out of 20 points on her first serve and hit 29 winners to her opponent’s nine.

“I feel overwhelmingly happy,” said Konta, who faces Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in the next round.

“I felt I did a good job playing the match at hand and I focused all my energies into this match. I was happy how I dealt with things.”

Konta had collapsed on court in her previous match and needed almost 15 minutes of treatment before feeling able to continue.

“I’m still recovering in every way,” she added. “I think it was quite a traumatic experience. I’m just still working on getting better.”

Sevastova, ranked 48 in the world, beat French Open champion Garbine Muguruza in the second round before overcoming Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4 6-1 in the third.

If Konta comes through, she will face either Madison Keys or Caroline Wozniacki for a place in the semi-finals.

Analysis – Konta can challenge for titles

GB Davis Cup captain Leon Smith on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Johanna Konta has every shot needed and can definitely challenge for Grand Slam titles. It’s not just her ranking, it’s who she beats that makes you think that.

She creates good speed on the ball herself but she can cope with power and the ball that comes to her at pace. She has good racquet control, quick feet and good balance, and is keeping the momentum going from last year.

Keys needs her ‘greatest comeback’

American eighth seed Keys claimed a dramatic 7-5 4-6 7-6 (7-3) win over a tearful Naomi Osaka of Japan.

Leading 5-1 in the final set and on the cusp of the biggest victory of her career, 81st-ranked Osaka crumbled as Keys took the next five games en route to a victory that left her 18-year-old opponent fighting back tears.

“This is the greatest comeback of my career, hands down,” said Keys.

Two-time US Open runner-up Wozniacki, now ranked 74, beat Monica Niculescu 6-3 6-1.

It is the first time since January the Dane has won three matches at the same tournament.

Kvitova eyes Kerber meeting

Petra Kvitova made the last 16 by beating Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-4 and will face second seed Angelique Kerber, who defeated 17-year-old American qualifier CiCi Bellis 6-1 6-1.

Roberta Vinci, the Italian seventh seed and runner-up to compatriot Flavia Pennetta in 2015, overcame Carina Witthoeft 6-0 5-7 6-3.

The 33-year-old Vinci will meet Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine for a quarter-final place.

Tsurenko, the world 99, made the last 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time by beating 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 3-6 6-3 6-4.

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Nadal Battles Into Second Week At The US Open

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016

Nadal Battles Into Second Week At The US Open

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Spaniard beats Kuznetsov

Rafael Nadal was made to work by Andrey Kuznetsov at the US Open on Friday night, but finished strongly against the Russian in their third-round match, winning 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours. Nadal is now into the second week of a Grand Slam event for the first time since his quarter-final finish at Roland Garros last year, where he fell to Novak Djokovic. He lost in the third round of the US Open to Fabio Fognini last year, but had reached the final in his previous three appearances.

“I think I played well tonight,” Nadal said. “Very happy about the way I played. First set, especially, was very high level.” 

Nadal was nearly flawless in the opening set, landing 73 per cent of first serves and making only three unforced errors. Realising that consistency was not going to bring him victory, Kuznetsov threw caution to the wind in the second set, attacking Nadal’s second serves with flat forehands. He won 10 of 16 points when the Spaniard failed to land a first serve and broke serve twice. Unfortunately for the Russian, Nadal pursued the same strategy on return games and broke three times to build a commanding lead.

“I lost the serve in the second a couple of games. I was serving badly. When you play against a player like him, who is able to return well and hit a lot of good shots, then you are in big trouble,” Nadal said. “The only thing I know is that I am happy. I am excited to play the US Open. For me it’s great news that I am on the tour again and that I am playing every day with less pain on the wrist. That’s the most important thing.”

Relieved to emerge with the second set, Nadal rediscovered his rhythm and cruised to the finish line. Kuznetsov, who had reached the second week of a Grand Slam only once in 14 attempts coming into the fortnight, made a last stand with Nadal serving at 5-2, 40/0. The Russian saved three match points to force deuce, but saw the two-time US Open champion pull off a perfect tweener lob, then convert his fourth match point with an unplayable flat serve.

Nadal, who has yet to drop a set in three matches in Flushing Meadows, should have plenty of physical reserves to make a deep run in the US Open draw. His next opponent will be 22-year-old Frenchman Lucas Pouille, who rallied to beat Roberto Bautista Agut in five sets.

“He is a great player. He is young. He has all the shots: good serve, good forehand, good backhand. He’s a tough opponent,” Nadal said. “I practiced with him a couple of times and I played him a long time ago. I know he’s able to play at a very high level. I’ll need to be ready to play my best if I want to keep going.”

Pouille, who reached his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at Wimbledon this year, is playing the best tennis of his life. However, he may also be drained coming into a match against one of the most physically intimidating players in tennis history. Pouille has dropped the first set in every one of his three matches thus far and is coming off consecutive five-set battles.

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Sock, Tsonga Show Off New Moves

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016

Sock, Tsonga Show Off New Moves

Sep022016

Fencer Jack Sock and boxer Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to meet in US Open Round of 16

A fist pump. A leaping punch to the air. A thumbs up. We’ve seen it all in post-match celebrations. Or have we?

American Jack Sock was more like Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow when celebrating his straight-sets win over Marin Cilic on Friday at the US Open to reach the fourth round.

“I was fencing with my racquet,” Sock explained. “I became good buddies in Rio with one of the fencers, Miles Chamley-Watson. He lives here in New York. I have been trying to get him to come out and watch a match. He was able to come out here today. Kind of on the spot I thought of turning the racquet into… I think it’s called a foil… Thought of turning the racquet into one of those and doing something for him for coming out.

“I think people were enjoying it. I have seen the video. It looks pretty funny, actually. So if he’s in the box on the next one and I’m able to win, you might see a cleaned up technique and better version of it.”

Sock’s next opponent, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, also did a unique post-win celebration after beating Kevin Anderson on the Grandstand. The Frenchman, often noted for his likeness to the late Muhammad Ali, shadow boxed to celebrate a straight-sets win as he advanced to the fourth round for the third year in a row.

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So which celebration will we see after their fourth round clash on Sunday? We’ll have to wait to find out!

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Baghdatis Blast-Off: Cypriot Reaches First Slam 4R In Seven Years

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016

Baghdatis Blast-Off: Cypriot Reaches First Slam 4R In Seven Years

Sep022016

Marcos Baghdatis sets Round of 16 clash against Gael Monfils

Former World No. 8 Marcos Baghdatis is turning back the clock this week in Flushing Meadows. The Cypriot ousted American qualifier Ryan Harrison 6-3, 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-1 on Friday at the US Open, reaching his first Grand Slam Round of 16 since the 2009 Australian Open.

Baghdatis fired 37 winners, including 10 aces, to prevail after two hours and 52 minutes. He was effective on return as well, converting six break chances. It is the 31-year-old’s best result in 11 appearances at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

“I’m happy I’m in the second week,” said Baghdatis. “It’s been a long time and I’m happy it came here. I never passed into the second week at the US Open. I don’t miss a lot of balls and give a lot of free points. When I need to attack, I do. I’m very happy with the way I’m moving and returning.

“My goal is to finish my career in the Top 20 (of the Emirates ATP Rankings). It’s a big challenge and I want to achieve that. I’m putting the right people around me to do it.”

Baghdatis will next face 10th seed and two-time US Open quarter-finalist Gael Monfils on Sunday. Monfils, who defeated Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, owns a 2-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head edge over the Cypriot. He most recently earned a straight-set win at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati just last month.

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“The good thing is I played him in Cincinnati,” Marcos said about Monfils. “I know what to expect and it’s going to be a tough battle, but I’ll try my best.”

Harrison, meanwhile, capped a strong week at his home Grand Slam, finishing with his best major result. One of four Americans to reach the third round, he notched the biggest win of his career in downing fifth seed Milos Raonic on Thursday.

#NextGen star Kyle Edmund set a high-powered fourth round encounter against top seed Novak Djokovic after stunning No. 1 American John Isner 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(5). Edmund, who converted his third match point after two hours and 42 minutes, withstood a serving barrage from Isner that included 27 aces.

The 21-year-old Brit saved six of seven break points for his second upset of a seeded opponent this week. He opened the tournament with a straight-sets victory over 13th-seed Richard Gasquet on Monday.

Making his US Open main draw debut, Edmund has dropped just one set en route to his first major Round of 16. He will face off against Djokovic for the second time this year, having lost in the first round at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami, in March.

After reaching the quarter-finals in 2011, Isner has fallen in the third round in New York in four of five years since. It marked just the American’s second defeat to an unseeded player at his home Grand Slam and first since 2008.

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US Open 2016: Dan Evans and Andy Murray seek to reach fourth round

  • Posted: Sep 03, 2016
US Open
Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 29 August-11 September
Coverage: Live commentary on Radio 5 live sports extra plus live text on the big matches on the BBC Sport website and app.

Britain’s Dan Evans and Andy Murray will seek to make it four Britons in the last 16 of the US Open when they compete in the third round on Saturday.

Evans, 26, takes on third seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland at around 22:00 BST as he bids to make the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Murray, the second seed, is yet to drop a set and faces Italy’s world number 40 Paolo Lorenzi at around 19:00 BST.

Johanna Konta and Kyle Edmund reached the last 16 with wins on Friday.

Evans, ranked 333 last year, beat German rising star Alexander Zverev in the second round and is on the verge of breaking into the world’s top 50 players.

For a long time Evans, by his own admission, failed to match his talent with the commitment required, but now his hard work is starting to bring rewards.

He broke into the top 100 for the first time in April and now the world number 64 faces two-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka in the biggest match of his career.

“The number one most important thing is he decided he wanted to play tennis properly,” said Britain’s Davis Cup captain Leon Smith.

“It doesn’t matter who was in his ear telling him he had ability, telling him he could have a career, that doesn’t matter. It’s got to come from within.

“For Dan it took him until he was 25 years old to say, ‘I want to do this’.”

Murray, 29, has arguably had the best year of his career, winning Wimbledon, the Olympics and reaching three out of three Grand Slam finals.

“I have capitalised on a few opportunities,” he said.

“When some of the other top guys maybe hadn’t played or struggled or lost, it’s important I have taken those chances when they have come.”

Lorenzi, 34, reached the third round with a draining five-set win against Frenchman Gilles Simon on Thursday.

A former medical student with a surgeon brother in London, this will be his first appearance in a Grand Slam third round.

“I’m feeling dead,” Lorenzi said after his win over Simon. “I’m feeling very tired but it is normal because we play almost five hours. I have one day off so I hope that on Saturday I will be full power again.

“I have to be 100% because my only chance is to play my best tennis and even then maybe it’s not enough.”

Serena and Venus Williams, Kei Nishikori and Juan Martin del Potro are among other players in action on day six at Flushing Meadows.

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