“It will be another tough one in a couple of days’ time”.
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Flummoxed and frustrated by wily veteran Paolo Lorenzi for two sets, second seed Andy Murray changed tactics and beat the 34-year-old Italian at his own game to advance into the US Open fourth round here Saturday. I played Berdych a few times after that and had no issues dealing with it.
Dimitrov also ended Murray’s first WImbledon defence in the quarterfinals at the All England Club in 2014, again when the Scot was under the guidance of Mauresmo.
“There’s going to be a lot of challenges, especially on an occasion like that, against Andy”, Dimitrov said.
He appointed Murray’s former coach Dani Vallverdu this summer and the improvement has been notable. I was going for too much. Whether all of them always believed that or not, I don’t know.
On the next point, though, Wawrinka stretched for an angled forehand drop volley victor to extend the match.
The match starts at 12am BST (Early Tuesday morning).
The Scot said: “They would see the work that I’m doing, learning that maybe at an earlier stage than they would have done otherwise”.
Coincidentally beginning their collaboration just ahead of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank, Vallverdu certainly has the experience, having previously worked with Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych, and looks to be on course for another successful partnership with Dimitrov.
The second-seeded Murray launched Labor Day weekend working for three hours, 17 minutes to subdue Paolo Lorenzi, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
“I’ll need to play better than today if I want to win that”, Murray said after that four-set victory about his upcoming meeting with Dimitrov.
Sixth seed Venus, twice the champion in NY, faces Karolina Pliskova, the big-serving 10th seed from the Czech Republic.
By virtue of the victory, Murray kept alive his quest to reach the final of all four Grand Slam events in 2016.
Murray’s greatest obstacle may yet be the weight of expectation, given he is now considered the favourite in the draw, even with the likes of Stan Wawrinka and Juan Martin del Potro lurking in his half.
He’s won 357 Challenger matches and 65 ATP level matches.
At 37, Karlovic became the oldest man to reach the US Open’s fourth round since Jimmy Connors, who did it at age 39 in 1991. He meets sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori.
Dan Evans nearly made it four but spurned a match point in a five-set defeat to Stan Wawrinka.
“He’s an extremely solid player and doesn’t give you many cheap points”. Fans can catch the action through online live stream via US Open Live and WatchESPN. The 92nd-ranked Konjuh is already on her deepest run at a major.
Suarez Navarro next faces the victor of the match that has gone into a third set between fifth-seeded Simona Halep and 31st-seeded Timea Babos.
Murray was able to get away with a less-than-stellar showing against Lorenzi, but if his form from the first two sets manifests itself in the round of 16, he may not be so fortunate to get past Dimitrov.
Serena Williams waits for a serve from Johanna Larsson, of Sweden, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in NY. The sixth-seeded and two-time US Open champion will take on 26th seed Laura Siegemund of Germany.
Juan Martin del Potro, whose career was almost derailed by injuries after his 2009 US Open triumph, fired 37 winners in a 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-3 victory over Spanish 11th seed David Ferrer.
He next faces eighth-seeded Austrian Dominic Thiem, who celebrated his 23rd birthday with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
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Ana Konjuh, of Croatia, reacts after a point to Varvara Lepchenko, of the United States, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in NY.
