Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat American Jack Sock in four sets to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the second straight year.
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The first two sets of their quarterfinal went Djokovic’s way, 6-3, 6-2. “She won a lot of matches”.
Kerber’s first U.S. Open semifinal since 2011 will come against two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, a 6-0, 6-2 victor against Anastasija Sevastova, who injured her right ankle in the second game and was never able to get herself going in the match. During the next changeover, she received a 10-minute injury timeout to wrap the ankle.
Twice a runner-up at Flushing Meadows, Wozniacki hopes to win her first Grand Slam title. But she eliminated 2004 champion Svetlanta Kuznetsova in the second round and No. 8 Madison Keys in the fourth. Wozniacki also was a finalist in NY in 2009, losing to Kim Clijsters. Wozniacki exited in the semifinals in 2010 and 2011. He was taken inside for further evaluation, then came back out to finish the match. Or that she didn’t win a Grand Slam match all year until she got to the U.S. Open.
Caroline Wozniacki, a two-time runner-up in Queens and one-time finisher in the city’s marathon, ran all over Anastasija Sevastova, 6-0, 6-2, after Sevastova rolled her right ankle, stumbled and fell to the ground in the second game of the first set. “I’m not going to let that opportunity go”.
Vinci was the instigator of one of the greatest upsets in tennis history here previous year when she beat Williams in the semi-final but the Italian could not manage a repeat. However, her opening statements seem to ignore the fact that the rankings are based on the last 52 weeks.
Vinci is now ranked No. 8.
Black kinesiology tape snaked up the back of Vinci’s left calf, but she was quick off the mark in the early stages creating plenty of spin problems for Kerber.
“Unfortunately due to my recurring wrist injury, I have been advised by my doctor to take some time off court in order to recover and regain my full strength”, the 28-year-old Serb said in a statement. She said that she feels much more comfortable in the everyday rigors of the tennis schedule, including these large events with us pesky media types. “It’s totally different watching and playing”.
The other men’s quarter on Tuesday is an all-French affair with 10th-seeded veteran Gael Monfils taking on 22-year-old Lucas Pouille, who shocked 14-times grand slam singles victor Rafa Nadal in five sets in the fourth round.
But the entertaining Monfils has been playing the best tennis of his career lately, winning all 15 sets he’s played at Flushing Meadows during this tournament.
Monfils repeatedly used lobs to make Pouille run.
Tough German aheadShe will now play German second seed Angelique Kerber, who beat Italy’s Roberta Vinci 7-5 6-0, for a place in the final.
Kerber, who has a chance to overtake Williams at No. 1 in the WTA rankings after the tournament, moved into her third Grand Slam semifinal of the year. Kerber won a three-set affair in the Australian Open final this year.
The roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium never opened on Tuesday night, and Anastasija Sevastova never had a chance in her U.S. Open quarterfinal match. It was the same scenario in that set’s last game, when Pouille even contributed a pair of double-faults.
As she walked to the sideline, Vinci looked at the line judge who made the call and smiled sarcastically, giving him a thumbs up and applauding with her racquet.
“(My belief) is bigger, for sure”, she said.
There are several scenarios in which Kerber could end up No. 1 on September 12, the day after the Open ends. She herself has held and lost the title five times, her hold on it now being her 6th time.
Sevastova had never been past the fourth round of a slam, and her best result in NY were second-round berths in 2009 and 2010, but her run this year was one of the best storylines of this year’s tournament.
But after dropping the opening set of her first-round match against Taylor Townsend at the U.S. Open, Wozniacki has won 10 sets in a row.
This version corrects that Djokovic will play Monfils in the semifinals on Friday, not Thursday. No. 24 Lucas Pouille.
In the ensuing game, a foot fault from Vinci helped give Kerber another break and the first set victory.
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Kerber moves into a semifinal matchup with the victor of tonight’s quarterfinal between Caroline Wozniacki and Anastasija Sevastova. A year ago Vinci advanced to the Open final before losing.
