In the top half of the draw, only one player has cruised into the second week of the US Open without dropping a set: Juan Martin del Potro.

When Del Potro is this efficient, few can touch the Argentine’s imposing game and he continued his ruthless run on Friday. A semi-finalist last year, he has carried the momentum into the 2018 edition, barely putting a foot wrong en route to the Round of 16.

Del Potro dismissed an upset-minded Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 7-6(6), 6-3, overcoming a mid-match hiccup to punch his ticket on Day 5. He launched 41 winners, including 12 aces, while claiming a dominant 80 per cent of points on his first serve. 

“It was a really nice fight and we played three great sets,” Del Potro told ESPN following the match. “Thanks to the crowd for staying until almost 1am to cheer for me.”

The 2009 champion earned his 40th match win of the year on Friday, joining Alexander Zverev (45), Rafael Nadal (43) and Dominic Thiem (41) in the club. Del Potro is bidding to reach the quarter-finals or better in a fifth consecutive tournament, having entered Flushing Meadows on the heels of deep runs at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Los Cabos and Cincinnati.

40-Match Winners In 2018

After exchanging breaks early in the opener, Verdasco was unable to sustain the momentum as the set hit a critical juncture. A loose service game saw Del Potro break to love for 6-5 and he would unleash a forehand barrage to snatch a one-set lead.

Del Potro earned a quick break in the second set and the rout was on. Or so it seemed. After committing just six unforced errors in the first 15 games, seven more would suddenly leak from the Tandil native’s game as Verdasco broke back and edged ahead 3-2. But with his mettle tested, Del Potro would eventually take a two-set advantage by the slimmest of margins in a tie-break. And he cruised from there, breaking early in the third and never looking back.

The match finally hit its conclusion at 12:34am, as Del Potro converted his first match point after two hours and 59 minutes.

Del Potro sets a fourth-round meeting with Borna Coric, who has dropped just one set en route to the last 16. The 20th-seeded Croatian downed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 under the lights on Court 17. He fired 30 winners, while converting an impressive six of 13 break chances.

A rematch of their encounter at the Next Gen ATP Finals last year, also won by Coric, the Croatian owns a 3-1 lead in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. He ended Medvedev’s win streak at eight straight, following the Russian’s dominant run to the title at the Winston-Salem Open last week.

Competing in his 17th consecutive Grand Slam main draw, Coric is enjoying his best result. It marks the first time he will appear in the second week of a major. The 21-year-old is up to a career-high No. 20 in the ATP Rankings and coming off his biggest victory to date, having upset Roger Federer in the Gerry Weber Open final in June.

On Sunday, Coric and Del Potro will meet for the first time.

A loss is a loss. But if there’s any such thing as a moral victory, 22-year-old Karen Khachanov earned one on Friday at the US Open.

While the two-time ATP World Tour titlist was unable to advance to the fourth round, falling in four sets against World No. 1 and three-time champion Rafael Nadal, he showed the world that he is plenty capable of competing with the best players on the sport’s biggest stages.

“I gave everything what I had. I think everybody saw it. I’m proud of myself that I could play a good game today, fight till the end. Yeah, just a few points difference that it could go another way,” Khachanov said. “Big respect to Rafa. That’s why he’s No. 1 in the world, such a great fighter. Yeah, just happy about my performance. I hope to keep going that way.”

Based on the way the No. 27 seed played in Arthur Ashe Stadium, there should be little doubt in the direction he is moving: up. Khachanov qualified for last year’s inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan, and he reached the semi-finals at this month’s Rogers Cup, and the confidence he has gained from those experiences showed.

“I was mentally ready to play this match. Physically, I was ready. That’s why at the end I played a match like that,” Khachanov said. “Of course, I had an early break [against me] in the fourth set, but still I was pushing, saying to myself, ‘C’mon, I can still break him, try to come back’.” 

Nadal was plenty complimentary of his opponent as well. After all, he was the one chasing down all of Khachanov’s massive groundstrokes, especially off the forehand side. If anyone should be impressed, it would be Nadal, who had to raise his level just to get past this year’s Marseille champion.

“At some point I have to say congratulations to Karen, too, that he had a great attitude on court during the whole time, playing four hours 20, fighting all the time, playing aggressive, playing great tennis, having some mistakes at some important moments, too, but without saying not a bad word,” Nadal said. “That’s a great thing for tennis, and that’s a great thing for him. With that attitude, I am sure he will have a lot of success.”

And again, Khachanov lost the match. But while it’ll sting for now, this could be the moment he looks back on when he does make a major breakthrough as the performance that helped him believe in what he is truly capable of.

“Now, I’m not the happiest guy in the world. I lost the match. But, like I said, after some time, maybe one day, two days, I will think back and just watch the match. Of course, it will give me I think more experience, more confidence. To see which level I can play, which level I played here and the other Grand Slams or the other tournaments. That just shows that I’m really close to this high level against top guys,” Khachanov said. “Hopefully it will be soon on my side.”

Kevin Anderson maintained his stellar record in New York on Friday, beating Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a five-set thriller at the US Open.

The South African, who reached his maiden Grand Slam final last year in Flushing Meadows, extended his winning streak in New York to seven matches after three hours and 42 minutes. In February, Anderson won four consecutive three-set matches to lift his fourth tour-level crown at the inaugural New York Open on Long Island. Anderson has won 13 of his past 14 matches in the New York.

“Definitely tricky playing somebody who you haven’t played before,” said Anderson. “Obviously I watched him playing a lot. Actually practised with him a few weeks ago in Toronto. The match is always different, but you have a sense of what’s going on.

“It was really important for me to obviously get that break in the second and turn things around a little bit. I think that sort of put the match with me in control. But, of course, it ended up being really close at the end with him coming back in the fourth. I thought it was great tennis throughout. It was an incredible atmosphere. Really had to dig deep to get through that one.”

Despite requiring attention to his upper right leg at the conclusion of the first set, Anderson recovered well to book his place in the last 16 for the third time in four years. The two-time Grand Slam finalist saved seven of nine break points to overcome the #NextGenATP Canadian in the first match played under the roof of the newly-built Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“It was unbelievable to play there, on Louis Armstrong. It was great,” said Shapovalov. “By the fifth set, the stands got packed. The fans were so with me. Obviously I love the fans here in New York. They seem to always be on my side. They’ve been supporting me through juniors. It was a great feeling being out there, playing that match.”

Shapovalov was bidding to return to the fourth round in Flushing Meadows after reaching the same stage on his debut last year. The 21-year-old, who defeated Andreas Seppi in five sets on Wednesday, is currently third in the ATP Race to Milan.

“I think so far my season has been better than I expected,” added Shapovalov. “I’ve been playing unbelievably well throughout the season… To be honest, my main goal this season was to improve my game, and I feel like I’ve come back here [one year later] and I feel like such a different player.

“I feel like I’ve improved so much in my game, mentally. I just feel like I belong out there this year. I’m able to compete with anyone out there, as I showed today. I feel like my game is at a different level.”

After trading the opening two sets, Anderson made the decisive move in the third set at 3-3 as Shapovalov misfired on multiple forehands. As was the case in the first two sets, that point proved to be the only break opportunity as the World No. 5 moved one set from victory by converting his first set point three games later.

The fourth set appeared to be heading towards a tie-break, with neither man able to make inroads in their return games. But Shapovalov struck late in the 10th game, with aggressive returning and court coverage, to force the match to a deciding set.

Anderson struck early in the fifth set, extracting a crucial error from his opponent after firing a deep backhand return within inches of the baseline. After saving five break points throughout the set, Anderson earned four match points on his opponent’s serve in the ninth game.

But Shapovalov held firm, producing his best level under pressure, much to the delight of the crowd, to force his 6’8″ opponent to serve out the match. Anderson accepted the challenge, closing the match out to love to end an instant classic.

“Another crazy match for me,” said Shapovalov. “It’s great being on the court there against Kevin. He’s proven that he’s a Top 10, Top 5 player. He’s been playing unbelievable this year. Last year as well. He’s defending a lot of points here. But he’s shown that he’s capable of playing really good tennis. Today was another day.

“I’m really happy I was able to compete out there with him. It was a really fun match to be a part of. Obviously a lot of ups and downs. It was a battle out there. I gave it all I had. Nothing to regret from it.”

Anderson will face ninth seed Dominic Thiem for a place in the quarter-finals. Anderson leads Thiem 6-1 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, but it was Thiem who emerged victorious in their most recent meeting in Madrid three months ago.

Thiem, for the second year in a row, defeated #NextGenATP American Taylor Fritz in four sets to advance in Flushing Meadows. The 24-year-old hit 59 winners, including 18 aces, to overcome Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-4 in three hours and 19 minutes.

“It was a really tough match. He played very well,” said Thiem. “I mean, already last year was a close match against him in the second round. Obviously we hopefully improved in this one year. I expected a tough and close one again, which it was at the end.”

Thiem, who has now reached the Round of 16 on four occasions at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, will bid to progress to the quarter-finals for the first time in New York. The Austrian led Juan Martin del Potro 6-1, 6-2 in the fourth round last year and held two match points, before falling in a five-set classic.

“I didn’t have any good experiences yet in the fourth round, so I don’t rely on them,” joked Thiem. “It’s always something special for me to reach the second round of a Slam… I will give everything to maybe make the first quarter-final here.”

After splitting the opening two sets, Fritz charged into a 4-2 lead in the third set. But Thiem responded in emphatic fashion, winning five of the next seven games to move ahead in a tight third-set tie-break.

With a break in the sixth game, Thiem appeared to be closing in on victory before rain began to fall at 5-3. After a brief interruption, the 24-year-old failed to serve out the match, but broke in the very next game to confirm the win as Fritz misfired on his forehand side.

“[Kevin] is one of the hottest players on Tour right now,” said Thiem. “Last four Slams, he made two finals. Out of the big servers, he’s the one with the best baseline game and with the best return. You are under pressure basically the whole match. There’s a reason why he’s No. 5 now. Why he has so much success, because he’s just playing amazing.”

Fritz was bidding to reach the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time in his third-round debut. The American currently occupies the seventh and final automatic qualification spot in the ATP Race to Milan.

Did You Know?
Kevin Anderson defeated Dominic Thiem in three sets at the 2015 US Open. The South African navigated two tie-break sets to overcome the Austrian 6-3, 7-6(3), 7-6(3) en route to the quarter-finals.