Federer, Djokovic Move Closer To US Open QF, Zverev Out; Nadal, Delpo Sun.
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A Roger Federer v Novak Djokovic Wednesday US Open quarterfinal is almost certainly in the cards now. As for former champions will be very big favorites to win on Monday.
Today, Federer breezed past Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-1, 7-5. Kyrgios had a chance with Federer serving 3-3, 0-40, but the Australian failed to break and really never got any momentum in the match again.
The two had played nine sets before with eight going to tiebreakers, but after the seventh game it was all Federer.
“I think against any big server, 3-All Love-40 is a big game, because it could be that a big server also himself won’t see that many opportunities down the stretch,” Federer said. “That’s what happened for him, too. And I know if I can somehow dig myself out of that game, I don’t know how I got into the Love-40 game, into the Love-40 position, it’s just huge to try to get out of it somehow. Doesn’t have to be pretty. Doesn’t have to be crazy shot-making. Just you have to get back to deuce somehow and maybe you can breathe a bit.”
Kyrgios said things could have been different had he got that early break.
“Got an early break there, and the way I was serving in the first set,” Kyrgios said. “Could have been a different story in the first set. I don’t want to talk about it now. It’s gone. I had the chances and I didn’t take them. Against Roger, you’re not going to get many. I thought I was playing really well in the first set. I was creating a lot of pressure, serving well and had the chance, didn’t take it. That’s what happened.”
Federer now meets another Australian, 29-year-old John Millman who reached his first career Grand Slam fourth round beating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
“It’s a great feeling,” Millman said. “I’m extremely excited. It was a goal of mine to make, you know, second week of a Grand Slam. I have managed to do so. Really looking forward to what lies next, and hopefully it’s good things.”
And he’s not in fear of Federer.
“I did a little bit of training with them after the French Open,” Millman said. “Hit a little bit on the grass. He’s got an aura about him. Definitely a player I’ve looked up to throughout my career. But it’s like anything. I have never been a fan of playing anyone’s reputation. When you go out on court, I think it’s about engaging in a battle. I definitely won’t be, you know, thinking about those things if I play against him.”
In the evening, Djokovic won for a 13th time in 14 tries against Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.
“It was the best match of the week so far, without a doubt,” Djokovic said. “One of the best performances I had in the hard court season after Wimbledon.
“I don’t think he was playing bad. He was there. It seemed like he just needed a few points to break through. I was lucky to really save some crucial breakpoints in the third set. If he got back that break, who knows. He was playing well. I thought I was playing on a very high level from the first point. Very, very pleased with the performance.”
Djokovic will now face Joao Sousa who became the first Portuguese player in the US Open fourth round after eliminating Lucas Pouille winning three tiebreakers 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5).
Alexander Zverev fell again to the upset bug at a Grand Slam. So strong in Masters events, Zverev was stunned in four sets by countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. Zverev led 3-0 in the fourth set but couldn’t manage another game as the 34-year-old rolled into his fifth US Open fourth round.
“I think I have variety in my game. Yeah, it was very good today,” Kohlschreiber said. “Was hurting him a lot… [The] difference was, I think, I returned his serve quite well, so I was able to manage all the power and force he had to put many balls back.
“Then I think during the points I played with the right strategy. I played low balls, high balls, lots of angles. I think over the time he got more frustrated. Also the match was, I think, in my favour getting a little bit more physical. We played a lot of long rallies. I’m very happy how everything worked for me.”
Zverev finishes his Grand Slam season underperforming.
“At tour events I lose, as well,” Zverev said. “There’s just more tour events. You probably recognize it less. I lost to Robin Haase last week in Cincinnati. I lost to Tsitsipas in Toronto. Those are not that great losses for me either.
“There’s a lot of focus on the Grand Slams. I’ve obviously done well in Paris, but not at the other Grand Slams this year maybe for different reasons. I mean, Australia, I played against Chung, who played very well. Wimbledon I was still recovering from an injury. Here I played a good opponent. Just couldn’t find my best game today.
Now with Ivan Lendl, the questions and pressure only mount on Zverev to produce.
“It’s a process of, you know, developing,” Zverev said of working with Lendl. “I took him to do well at slams. But this is a process. You can’t expect to kind of immediately see the results. I think the results will come hopefully next year.”
Seeking a first US Open quarterfinal, Kohlschreiber will take on 2014 finalist Kei Nishikori. The Japanese No. 1 edged Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
David Goffin nearly blew a 4-0 lead in the third but hung on to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(4) to make his second straight US Open fourth round. Goffin will await the winner of the late match between 2014 champion Marin Cilic and 19-year-old Alex De Minaur who was beating up on the Croatian early on but fell in five sets 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in a match that ended at 2:22am.
On Sunday, the fourth round gets underway with Rafael Nadal returning to Ashe to take on surprise Georgian Nikolaz Basilishvili. Juan Martin del Potro headlines in the evening against Indian Wells semifinalist Borna Coric.
The last American man, John Isner, takes on fellow bomber Milos Raonic and maybe the best match of the day pits 2017 finalist Kevin Anderson against Dominic Thiem.
SUNDAY US OPEN SCHEDULE
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM 12:00 PM
R. Nadal (ESP) [1] vs. N. Basilashvili (GEO)
K. Kanepi (EST) vs. S. Williams (USA) [17]
7:00 PM
S. Stephens (USA) [3] vs. E. Mertens (BEL) [15]
J. Del Potro (ARG) [3] vs. B. Coric (CRO) [20]
LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM 11:00 AM
D. Thiem (AUT) [9] vs. K. Anderson (RSA) [5]
A. Barty (AUS) [18] vs. Ka. Pliskova (CZE) [8]
J. Isner (USA) [11] vs. M. Raonic (CAN) [25]
C. Harrison (USA)/R. Harrison (USA) vs. R. Albot (MDA)/M. Jaziri (TUN)
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