Cilic, Isner & Querrey Compete At US Open On Friday

DAY FIVE HIGHLIGHTS

• Third round action on Friday is led by No. 5 seed and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic, No. 10 seed John Isner, No. 12 seed Pablo Carreno Busta, No. 16 seed Lucas Pouille and No. 17 seed Sam Querrey, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in July. Of the 16 players remaining in the bottom half of the draw, only Cilic and Querrey have advanced to the semi-finals or better in a Grand Slam tournament. There are also four qualifiers in the third round at the US Open for the first time since 1999. The last qualifier to reach the 4R or better in Flushing Meadows was Gilles Muller, who advanced to the quarter-finals in 2008.

• In the opening match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, #NextGenATP Canadian qualifier Denis Shapovalov takes on Kyle Edmund of Great Britain for the third time this season (tied 1-1). Both players are the No. 2 player from their respective country. Edmund won the first meeting in a 1R Davis Cup tie in Ottawa and Shapovalov prevailed in three sets on June 19 in the 1R at the Queen’s Club in London. The 18-year-old Shapovalov is trying to become the youngest player to reach the 4R at the US Open since Michael Chang (17) in 1989. Edmund is looking to advance to the 4R at the US Open for the second year in a row.

• In the evening match, No. 23 Mischa Zverev and Isner square off for the fifth time (tied 2-2). Isner is 0-4 vs. the Zverev brothers this season, losing twice to Mischa and to Alexander. The 32-year-old Isner is appearing in the third round in Flushing Meadows for the ninth straight year (10th overall) and he is 3-6 in 3R matches. His best Grand Slam result is the QFs here in 2011. Isner is 15-3 this summer, winning titles in Newport and Atlanta. Zverev is attempting to reach his second Grand Slam 4th Round. He was a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open in January.

• On Louis Armstrong, qualifier Nicolas Mahut and Carreno Busta meet for the first time. Mahut is looking to advance to the 4th Round at the US Open for the first time in his 12th main draw appearance. Carreno Busta reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in June, his best career Grand Slam result. In the following match, Querrey and Radu Albot of Moldova battle for the first time. Querrey is 14-3 since the beginning of Wimbledon and he’s looking to advance to the 4th Round at the US Open for the first time since 2010.

• On Grandstand, No. 29 seed Diego Schwartzman plays Cilic, who is playing his first tournament since falling in the Wimbledon final on July 16. He was sidelined during the hard court circuit with an adductor injury. Schwartzman is 1-13 lifetime against Top 10 opponents and he’s trying to reach his first 4th Round in a Grand Slam event. In the next match on, No. 28 seed Kevin Anderson brings a 2-0 record against #NextGenATP Croat Borna Coric, who is aiming to reach his first 4th Round in a Grand Slam tournament.

• On Court 17, Italians Thomas Fabbiano and Paolo Lorenzi battle it out with the winner getting to the 4th Round in a Slam for the first time. In the next match on, last year’s US Open quarter-finalist Pouille takes on qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan for the second time. Pouille won here in four sets in the 1R one year ago.