Del Potro secured a surprise win over Wawrinka in the second round of Wimbledon but there was to be no repeat as the Swiss completed a 7-6 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory as the clock ticked over to 01.30 in the NY morning.
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Serena Williams’ serve was broken for the first time at this year’s U.S. Open.
In a match which featured 17 breaks of serve, Nishikori prevailed for only his second win in nine matches against world No. 2 Murray.
Halep didn’t make it easy on Williams, who lost a set for the first time in five matches and dropped her serve for the first time in the tournament, twice in fact. A huge shock loomed when she stood at 15-40 early in the second set, but Williams won three straight games to build a lead she would not relinquish. I had only heard it one time before, which was on set point in the second set. I would have loved to have gone further, but it wasn’t to be today. “I tried not to let that get me down”, Williams said.
The 10th-seeded Pliskova will face No. 1 Serena Williams or No. 5 Simona Halep on Thursday. Pliskova defeated Ana Konjuh of Croatia, 6-2, 6-2, in an earlier quarterfinal. He was playing so much more aggressively, finishing the match with 60 winners which is quite an achievement against one of the game’s great defenders. “So many simple, simple shots that I easily could have made”, Williams said. Murray seemed to be in control of the point when something that sounded like a loud gong rang from the speakers. The dazzling variety in Nishikori’s game displayed in the fifth set was testament to how complete a player he is. Chair umpire Marija Cicak ordered the point to be replayed, which irked Murray, who subsequently discussed the matter with tournament referee Wayne McKewen.
Murray wound up losing 12 of 14 points right after the let call and seven games in a row to drop that set 6-1 and trail 2-0 in the fifth.
The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said that a match alert for the August 30 encounter had been received from betting organisations. Essentially the opposite of Wimbledon.
The U.S. Tennis Association said Wednesday that a “digital audio sound processor” was at fault and would be replaced before the night session.
It means that number three ranked Wawrinka is still in the hunt to win a third Grand Slam title after already triumphing in France and Australia during his career.
“Yes, obviously he will be disappointed with yesterday, but I think you have to look at the season as a whole as hugely positive”.
It thudded around the stadium and echoed eerily beneath the roof which had been closed due to rain midway through the second set. He was also bothered by what looked like a moth or a butterfly on the court.
“I think definitely under the roof he was able to dictate more of the points”.
This was a rematch of their semifinal meeting at the Olympics last month in Brazil.
“I could have won the match for sure”, Murray told The Associated Press. He was on a 26-1 run, which included Wimbledon and the gold medal in Rio.
A burned-out Murray will have to wait a little longer for that break; his immediate focus will turn to a tricky Davis Cup semifinal tie against Argentina in Glasgow, with a game Juan Martin del Potro presenting a huge roadblock to Britain’s chances of retaining their title. He was on a dream run, having entered the draw as a wildcard, courtesy of his status as a former champion in NY.
Murray was nothing short of dominant in the opening set, but after the roof delay he couldn’t maintain his rhythm and Nishikori, the No. 6 seed, took the second set.
The US Open first round match between Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko and Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland is under investigation for suspicious betting patterns, it was confirmed Wednesday. We were telling him, ‘Forget about it.
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A netted forehand by Murray gave Nishikori 30-0 lead followed by service victor but Murray fought back to deuce and had the first game opportunity yet Nishikori held to level four games apiece. “There were many ups and downs”. “I tried to stay calm”, Nishikori said.
