Poor summer results forgotten as Djokovic enters fourth round

August 31, 2014 06:46 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 05:39 pm IST - New York

Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard turned back the challenge of determined Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova to reach the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday

Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard turned back the challenge of determined Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova to reach the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday

Novak Djokovic kept up the chase for a place in his fifth straight final at the US Open as the top seed swamped Sam Querrey 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday to book into the fourth round.

The Serb continued his domination of Querrey, beating the American for the eighth time in nine matches.

Djokovic has now reached the second week at Flushing Meadows for the eighth straight year and 22nd consecutive grand slam tournament, dating to 2008.

“It’s peaking at the right time, at the right tournament,” said Djokovic, who won only two matches between his Wimbledon title and the start of New York.

“This is where I want to play my best tennis. I haven’t done as well as I wanted in lead-up tournaments, Toronto and Cincinnati. I didn’t know how emotionally drained I was,” he said.

It’s peaking at the right time, at the right tournament. This is where I want to play my best tennis. I haven’t done as well as I wanted in lead-up tournaments, Toronto and Cincinnati. I didn’t know how emotionally drained I was.

“Over the years I played some of my best tennis on these (New York) courts. Four finals and one title is quite impressive record. I feel very comfortable playing on Arthur Ashe stadium.”

Swiss third seed Stan Wawrinka got a walkover win as Slovenian Blaz Kavcic retired before their match with a foot injury.

Fifth seed Milos Raonic needed three tiebreakers to end the Cinderella run of 34-year-old Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic, a five-time loser in qualifying rounds who finally entered the main draw at this edition.

Canada’s Raonic produced a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) victory in two and three-quarter hours to face off next against Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori, a winner over Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.

Erratic Andy Murray, seeded eighth, rode the wave of form yet again, but emerged a winner against Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

The Scot overcame the “curse” and swirling winds of the Armstrong court where he had fitness problems in the first round.

The Scot plays French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a winner over Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

For the second straight year there will be no American man in the second week after 13th seed John Isner lost 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4) to German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The pair have played the third round at the event three years, with Kohlschreiber wining them all.

In women’s play, third seed Petra Kvitova was added to the growing list of upset victims as the Czech was knocked out by Serb Aleksandra Krunic 6-4, 6-4 in the third round.

The 21-year-old winner, a qualifier ranked 145, stunned the double Wimbledon winner, sending Kvitova to the same Flushing Meadows scrapheap already occupied by second seed Simona Halep and number six Angelique Kerber.

Halep, the French Open finalist three months ago, lost in the third round to 32-year-old Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, a former teenaged phenomenon who played a 1998 Wimbledon semi-final.

Swiss 17-year-old Belinda Bencic beat Kerber on Friday.

Krunic took just over 90 minutes to earn the biggest win of her career, moving into the second week of the major as she broke the inconsistent seed on five of 13 chances. Kvitova lost with 33 winners and one more unforced error.

Canadian seventh seed Bouchard won her second straight match on the Ashe showcase court, beating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4 in two and a half hours.

The Wimbledon finalist is a huge fan of the big stage. “I felt great,” she said after moving into a match with Russian Ekaterina Makarova. “With all the energy around, I felt we had to put on a show.”

Italian 11th seed Flavia Pennetta beat American Nicole Gibbs 6-4, 6-0 to move to the fourth round as she made her 10th appearance.

Former number one Victoria Azarenka, the 16th seed on her way back from months of foot and other injuries, beat Russian Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-1. Australian Casey Dellacqua put out Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 and top seed Serena Williams beat Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-3.

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