The new retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium was not closed.
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Since the professional era started in 1968, only Djokovic (2015), Roger Federer (2004, 2006 and 2007) and Rod Laver (1969, when he completed a calendar-year Grand Slam) have been to a season’s four major title matches.
After dropping a set in the third round to Paolo Lorenzi of Italy, Murray was at the top of his game, producing 28 winners, just 23 unforced errors, and hitting a personal-best 141 miles per hour serve.
“I once hit a 145mph serve in San Jose but they recalibrated the machine the next day so it didn’t count”.
“But I’ve never hit over 140, so I think it was lucky”. When I did win a first set that was tight, didn’t play my best, I kind of let him back into the match after I got a break early in the second. But it’s definitely up there: “I played very well today, very few unforced errors and made it very tough for Grigor”. Tactically, I think played a good match and I served very well when I was behind on the games.
The US Open runner-up two years ago, Nishikori will go down as the victor of the last final main draw singles match at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“It has been a great summer for the British players with Andy once again leading from the front and the performances from the players at the US Open gives us a lot of momentum going into the tie”, Smith said.
“Andy is the best player right now out there”, Dimitrov said.
‘Against Kei it will be a tough match. Del Potro, meanwhile, advanced into the last eight when Dominic Thiem was forced to retire from their fourth-round clash due to a right leg injury.
Murray produced a flawless display against the Bulgarian to win 6-1 6-2 6-2 and now faces Japan’s Kei Nishikori at Flushing Meadows for a place in the semi-finals.
Nishikori won the fourth set to send the match into a decider and eventually took the fifth set 7-5 to advance to the semifinals.
Davis Cup captain Leon Smith will be particularly interested in Murray’s energy levels ahead of Great Britain’s semi-final against Argentina next week, but he believes the world number two can outlast his rivals in NY.
Del Potro is playing just his second Grand Slam event since the 2014 Australian Open.
“It was so exciting on the court but I tried to stay calm”. He’s made his only slam final here. I wanted to use that to my advantage as the tournament goes on.
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As Williams, never seriously challenged in a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 52nd-ranked Yaroslava Shvedova, sailed on, one of the two players with a chance to topple her from the world number one spot in this tournament bowed out as fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was shocked by 18-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh.
