And Nicolas Mahut and Paul-Henri Mathieu didn’t play a tie break in a straight sets win for the former to secure the “no tie breaks” wager in that all-French encounter.
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For at least the past 18 months, Novak Djokovic has been the dominant world No. 1 and a prohibitive favorite going into each of tennis’ Grand Slam events.
On Wednesday, Djokovic’s scheduled opponent, Jiri Veseley of the Czech Republic, defaulted shortly before he was to take the court because he hadn’t recovered from forearm inflammation suffered the previous week.
“This particular situation I never had in my Grand Slam career”, Djokovic said.
The top seed next faces Britain’s world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time.
In the first night card match, Rafael Nadal cruised into the fourth round, beating Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Isner holds a 1-0 lifetime advantage over Edmund, earning the win earlier this year in the Round of 64 at the French Open. He was massaged by a trainer after only five games, then repeatedly shook that arm or flexed his elbow and grimaced following serves, even the ones that were far slower than he usually hits.
Keys won the latest-ever finishing women’s match at the tournament on Monday when she completed victory over compatriot Alison Riske at 1:48am.
In Indian interest, Leander Paes’ men’s doubles run ended in the first round when the veteran and his German partner Andre Begemann were beaten by the Italian-Israeli pair of Stephane Robert and Dudi Sela 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
We had a bit of luck in the first one when Andy Murray won the opening set against Marcel Granollers 6-4 after failing to serve it out at 5-3 and saving game points before breaking at the fourth attempt to land us a nice victor.
John Isner, of the United States, reacts after a shot to Steve Darcis, of Belgium, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, in NY. Edmund has not dropped a set in posting the biggest win of his career Monday when he ousted world number 15 Richard Gasquet in opening round action.
Sock will next play Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who beat Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-4 7-6.
On the women’s side in Ashe, second-seeded Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champ, faces 17-year-old American qualifier CiCi Bellis.
But Vinci prevailed on the back of 40 winners and will meet Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine for a quarterfinal place. No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 No. 13 Johanna Konta def.
Kvitova was in her trademark all-or-nothing mood, mixing up 31 winners with 30 unforced errors against her 26-year-old opponent. Fortunately for her, newly-married Cibulkova hit 54.
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Youzhny was treated during the changeover at 1-4 in the third-round match and had his left thigh taped. After moving into the second round without hitting a ball, Djokovic only had to play six games in his third round match, before Mikhail Youzhny of Russian Federation retired through injury.
