Del Potro, the 2009 champion who was pushed to the brink of retirement earlier this year after undergoing three surgeries on his left wrist, will face either Stan Wawrinka or Illya Marchenko for a semi-final place. “Hopefully I can go far in this tournament because I love the atmosphere, this crowd and to be in NY”.
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A grimacing del Potro clutched the back of his serving shoulder after one double fault and briefly consulted the trainer for right shoulder treatment during the opening set.
“I really played the flawless point there”, the sixth-seeded Williams said about her chance to end things while up 5-4 in the third set, and Pliskova serving at 30-40, “and she managed to stay alive”.
Japan’s sixth seed Kei Nishikori has made the fourth round of all the majors in the same year for the first time.
What has she learned about playing Serena?
“I didn’t expect to be in the quarters in my second Slam after my comeback”, he said.
“It’s never good to win a match this way”, del Potro told the crowd.
“It’s really exciting. This is where it all started so it’s always magical out here, but 308 sounds pretty good”, she said in her court-side interview with ESPN.
No. 3 Garbine Muguruza, the French Open champion, made 38 unforced errors and bowed out 7-5, 6-4 against Anastasija Sevastova at night. But Pliskova erased that with a swinging forehand volley – the sort of shot Williams loves to hit – and followed it up with another aggressive forehand victor.
World number two Murray was in scintillating form, knocking off an error-prone Dimitrov in straight sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium. After Pliskova frittered away one with a double-fault, Williams steeled herself and stepped up, smacking a volley victor, cross-court backhand victor and two forehand winners to break back for 6-all. But in the future, if can combine slices and volleys with my old backhand would be more risky for my game and I will be comfortable with all the weapon. Everything is like new for me.
Somehow, though, she pulled herself together enough to get through the tiebreaker as Williams faltered. “But it happened obviously, and for sure next year I’m going to change it up a little bit”.
Now Pliskova will face No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska or Ana Konjuh.
Simona Halep cruised in straight sets – 6-2, 7-5 – over Carla Suarez Navarro Monday and feels like she is playing with house money in her quarterfinal versus Serena Williams.
“It’s mental maturity, a little bit of stabilization with everything around me that is allowing me to play with a sense of calm and also with excitement”, said Harrison, who turned pro almost a decade ago and reached a top ranking of 43rd in 2012.
Juan Martin del Potro became the lowest ranked player in 25 years to reach the US Open quarter-finals Monday, setting up a showdown with fellow Grand Slam title victor, Stan Wawrinka.
Jimmy Connors was ranked 174 when he went on to the US Open semifinals in 1991.
Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up, won 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on Monday in the last singles match at the current Louis Armstrong Stadium, which will be torn down after the tournament.
Unlike the Olympics, when del Potro expressed doubt he could make a deep run even after upsetting No. 1 Novak Djokovic, he keeps talking about sticking around at Flushing Meadows.
“I was close to retire before my third surgery but after that I always believe in myself to come back”, said Del Potro, who will face the victor between third seed Swiss Stan Wawrinka and Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko. The win sets up a clash with Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals in a rematch of their final 64 battle at Wimbledon in June, in which the Argentinean came out on top.
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Del Potro, arguably, has the most powerful forehand ever in the men’s game; he ripped one down the line against Austria’s Thiem that drew gasps from the crowd.
