While one American impressed, there was not much joy for another as John Isner, the No.20 seed, was beaten by the impressive Kyle Edmund of Great Britain 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).
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The U.S. Tennis Association says that combines day and night sessions that each set new marks.
“Each day”, Djokovic said, “presents us some kind of challenges that we need to overcome”.
Nadal has won his first three matches at the US Open beating Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, Andres Seppi of Italy, and Andrey Kuznetsov of Russian Federation, all in straight sets.
But here she is, into the second week of the US Open for the first time in two years.
Djokovic played all of six games in his last two matches and is in the fourth round.
World number one and reigning champion Djokovic was given a walkover against Jiri Vesely in the second round after the Czech withdrew due to pain in his forearm, and a similar situation resulted in his progression to the last 16.
Both players produced six winners each, and the Serb was comfortable on his first serve by having a flawless 100 percentage of first serve point won and he won 80 per cent of his points on his second serve.
Former world number one Mats Wilander, who is working at the U.S. Open for Eurosport, was not sold on how effective Nadal’s service strategy would be against the very best players.
The owner of 14 Grand Slam trophies, including two at Flushing Meadows, Nadal hadn’t been to the fourth round at any major tournament since the 2015 French Open.
So far this week Tsonga has held 91% of the time and Anderson 87.5% of the time, which tallies with their season marks of 90.8% and 84.7%, and perhaps shows that Anderson is slowly getting better after an injury plagued campaign.
Joining Nadal, Djokovic and Edmund in the Round of 16 are ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 10th seed Gael Monfils and American Jack Sock, who was a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 victor against seventh seed Marin Cilic. “It’s hard in the beginning but over five sets, you’ll find the down-the-line (return) and the height you need to get back to the middle”.
He will play 10th-seeded Gael Monfils, who beat Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
The 21-year-old Witthoeft, who’s been ranked as high as 49th, was looking to make her first Grand Slam round of 16. It’s the first time since January she’s won three matches at the same tournament.
Keys called it the best comeback victory of her career.
Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champ, also advanced.
Nadal said the wrist, which helps generate all of that heavy topspin on his uppercut of a lefty forehand, still feels pain – but noted that it’s “something that is not limiting my game now”.
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So it made sense that the defending champion and No. 1 seed would spend some extra time practicing in Arthur Ashe Stadium under the watchful eye of coach Boris Becker yesterday after spending a grand total of 31 minutes of match time on court over the second and third rounds.
