Kaia Kanepi takes out Naomi in 3 tough sets......Naomi had a nice run.....6-3...2-6...7-5.
The 20 year old Russian Daria Kasatkina fights to see another round...She beats Jelena Ostapenko.....6-3...6-2.
Juan being Juan.....He takes out the Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut.....6-3...6-3...6-4.
Thiem maintains order on top half.
WHAT HAPPENED: Sixth seed Dominic Thiem must have received the memo before his third-round match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino: Disorder is reserved for the bottom half of the US Open men's draw; the upper half, for now at least, should maintain orderliness.
The 23-year-old Austrian did his part to preserve calm on Saturday in Louis Armstrong Stadium, beating Mannarino, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the fourth round and match his best showing at the US Open. The Austrian also made the Round of 16 in New York in 2014 (l. to Berdych) and 2016 (ret. to del Potro).
"I am pretty satisfied. I mean, it was way better than the first two rounds," Thiem said. "It was a tough match. For sure, by far, the best performance by me."
Hard courts have never been Thiem's surface of choice. The big-hitting right-hander prefers the slower red clay of Europe, which allows him more time to wind up and tee off with his topspin-heavy one-handed backhand and forehand.
His best results have come on red dirt as well, including two Roland Garros semifinals and six of his eight tour-level titles. But Thiem does have a hard-court crown in his trophy case (2016 Acapulco), and he's steadily making strides on quicker courts. In July, he reached the fourth round on the Wimbledon grass for the first time.
Mannarino had also been checking career-first boxes during what has become close to his best season on tour. The 30-year-old left-hander made the fourth round at SW19, and last month, he reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Montreal before falling to 18-year-old wunderkind Denis Shapovalov of Canada.
Mannarino presents a different type of game. His quick backswing and flat ball can trip up opponents who are accustomed to heavy topspin.
"I don't really like to play against him. He can hurt me or it's not really easy for me to get to my good shots against him, because he's playing flat. So it's tough for me to get my topspin and everything," Thiem said.
But Thiem had navigated their five previous meetings with ease, dropping only two of their 12 sets, and, after some early trouble, he did the same during their first Grand Slam meeting.
Mannarino broke to start and served for the set at 5-4, but on break point, he tapped a forehand volley wide. Thiem would cruise from there, winning the next five games and breaking early in the third to improve to 6-0 against the Frenchman.
"I didn't get the best start... So it was a tight first set and could easily go in his direction," Thiem said. "But I threw everything into the last, into the game at 4-5, and luckily it worked out, and I think this was also the turning point in the whole match, because I broke him a little bit, also mentally, I guess, with this first set. It would be, I think, very complicated if he would have won it."
WHAT IT MEANS: Thiem continues to win the matches he’s supposed to win and in good time. The Austrian needed only two hours and 14 minutes on Saturday.
"Of course there is always room to improve, but it was really way better, and I really like the feeling that it's getting better from match to match. It's necessary to improve a lot for the next round," Thiem said.
He will next face 2009 US Open champion and 24th seed Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who beat 11th seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
More importantly, however, Thiem avoids the carnage that has rocked the bottom half of the draw, which has see Borna Coric beat No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev; qualifier Shapovalov oust No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; and 29th seed Diego Schwartzman upset fifth seed and 2014 champion Marin Cilic.
MATCH POINT: Thiem clearly has what it takes to make a deep run at a Grand Slam. Is this the year he pushes ahead in Flushing Meadows?
WHAT HAPPENED: Sixth seed Dominic Thiem must have received the memo before his third-round match against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino: Disorder is reserved for the bottom half of the US Open men's draw; the upper half, for now at least, should maintain orderliness.
The 23-year-old Austrian did his part to preserve calm on Saturday in Louis Armstrong Stadium, beating Mannarino, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the fourth round and match his best showing at the US Open. The Austrian also made the Round of 16 in New York in 2014 (l. to Berdych) and 2016 (ret. to del Potro).
"I am pretty satisfied. I mean, it was way better than the first two rounds," Thiem said. "It was a tough match. For sure, by far, the best performance by me."
Hard courts have never been Thiem's surface of choice. The big-hitting right-hander prefers the slower red clay of Europe, which allows him more time to wind up and tee off with his topspin-heavy one-handed backhand and forehand.
His best results have come on red dirt as well, including two Roland Garros semifinals and six of his eight tour-level titles. But Thiem does have a hard-court crown in his trophy case (2016 Acapulco), and he's steadily making strides on quicker courts. In July, he reached the fourth round on the Wimbledon grass for the first time.
Mannarino had also been checking career-first boxes during what has become close to his best season on tour. The 30-year-old left-hander made the fourth round at SW19, and last month, he reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Montreal before falling to 18-year-old wunderkind Denis Shapovalov of Canada.
Mannarino presents a different type of game. His quick backswing and flat ball can trip up opponents who are accustomed to heavy topspin.
"I don't really like to play against him. He can hurt me or it's not really easy for me to get to my good shots against him, because he's playing flat. So it's tough for me to get my topspin and everything," Thiem said.
But Thiem had navigated their five previous meetings with ease, dropping only two of their 12 sets, and, after some early trouble, he did the same during their first Grand Slam meeting.
Mannarino broke to start and served for the set at 5-4, but on break point, he tapped a forehand volley wide. Thiem would cruise from there, winning the next five games and breaking early in the third to improve to 6-0 against the Frenchman.
"I didn't get the best start... So it was a tight first set and could easily go in his direction," Thiem said. "But I threw everything into the last, into the game at 4-5, and luckily it worked out, and I think this was also the turning point in the whole match, because I broke him a little bit, also mentally, I guess, with this first set. It would be, I think, very complicated if he would have won it."
WHAT IT MEANS: Thiem continues to win the matches he’s supposed to win and in good time. The Austrian needed only two hours and 14 minutes on Saturday.
"Of course there is always room to improve, but it was really way better, and I really like the feeling that it's getting better from match to match. It's necessary to improve a lot for the next round," Thiem said.
He will next face 2009 US Open champion and 24th seed Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who beat 11th seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
More importantly, however, Thiem avoids the carnage that has rocked the bottom half of the draw, which has see Borna Coric beat No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev; qualifier Shapovalov oust No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; and 29th seed Diego Schwartzman upset fifth seed and 2014 champion Marin Cilic.
MATCH POINT: Thiem clearly has what it takes to make a deep run at a Grand Slam. Is this the year he pushes ahead in Flushing Meadows?
Pliskova battles back from brink, edges Zhang.
WHAT HAPPENED: Karolina Pliskova kept alive her bid for a first Grand Slam singles crown and the chance to retain her world No. 1 ranking on Saturday. Just barely.
The No. 1 seed, fending off a match point in the second set and rallying from 0-2 in the final set, turned back the challenge of Chinese Olympic and Fed Cup veteran Zhang Shuai, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, to escape out of Arthur Ashe Stadium and into the US Open fourth round.
Pliskova made her only career Grand Slam final at last year's US Open and must, at the minimum, get back to the final and possibly win the title if the 25-year-old is to extend her seven-week stay atop the world rankings.
Both No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, who is already into the round of 16, and No. 4 Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine, who plays later, have paths to the world No. 1 depending on their results.
Pliskova looked to have hit a road block against Zhang, who, serving at 5-4 in the second set, held match point.
"I just went for it," Pliskova said of the thundering forehand, down-the-line winner the Czech boldly cracked on match point. "And I think she got a little tight at the end of the second set."
The poker-faced Pliskova needed to keep her composure once again in the next game. She saved three break points, two of them with aces, to finally hold for 6-5. Pliskova pushed the match into a final set, when Zhang netted a forehand.
The drama was not done. Zhang jumped to a 2-0 lead and had a break point for a 3-0 advantage. Pliskova stiffened, breaking Zhang in the fourth game for 2-2. The rest of the set went on serve until Pliskova broke in the last game, closing out the two-hour, 19-minute struggle with a backhand winner and then a fist pump.
Pliskova almost looked more relieved than happy at the end.
"I didn't panic, but I didn't feel really calm, either," she said.
Match statistics confirm how evenly and well-played the match was from both players. Each had 33 winners. Pliskova made 38 unforced errors, Zhang 46. Pliskova won 108 points, two more than Zhang.
WHAT IT MEANS: On paper, Pliskova has a favorable road to the semifinals, as there are only two seeds left in her quarter – No. 10 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe – and one of them will be gone by the end of today, as they play each later. Up next for Pliskova is unseeded Jennifer Brady of the U.S. or Romanian Monica Niculescu, both ranked outside of the world's Top 50.
MATCH POINT: Pliskova took a medical timeout after the second set to have the trainer treat her right arm. "I'll be ready for the next match," she said. Will she be?
WHAT HAPPENED: Karolina Pliskova kept alive her bid for a first Grand Slam singles crown and the chance to retain her world No. 1 ranking on Saturday. Just barely.
The No. 1 seed, fending off a match point in the second set and rallying from 0-2 in the final set, turned back the challenge of Chinese Olympic and Fed Cup veteran Zhang Shuai, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, to escape out of Arthur Ashe Stadium and into the US Open fourth round.
Pliskova made her only career Grand Slam final at last year's US Open and must, at the minimum, get back to the final and possibly win the title if the 25-year-old is to extend her seven-week stay atop the world rankings.
Both No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, who is already into the round of 16, and No. 4 Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine, who plays later, have paths to the world No. 1 depending on their results.
Pliskova looked to have hit a road block against Zhang, who, serving at 5-4 in the second set, held match point.
"I just went for it," Pliskova said of the thundering forehand, down-the-line winner the Czech boldly cracked on match point. "And I think she got a little tight at the end of the second set."
The poker-faced Pliskova needed to keep her composure once again in the next game. She saved three break points, two of them with aces, to finally hold for 6-5. Pliskova pushed the match into a final set, when Zhang netted a forehand.
The drama was not done. Zhang jumped to a 2-0 lead and had a break point for a 3-0 advantage. Pliskova stiffened, breaking Zhang in the fourth game for 2-2. The rest of the set went on serve until Pliskova broke in the last game, closing out the two-hour, 19-minute struggle with a backhand winner and then a fist pump.
Pliskova almost looked more relieved than happy at the end.
"I didn't panic, but I didn't feel really calm, either," she said.
Match statistics confirm how evenly and well-played the match was from both players. Each had 33 winners. Pliskova made 38 unforced errors, Zhang 46. Pliskova won 108 points, two more than Zhang.
WHAT IT MEANS: On paper, Pliskova has a favorable road to the semifinals, as there are only two seeds left in her quarter – No. 10 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe – and one of them will be gone by the end of today, as they play each later. Up next for Pliskova is unseeded Jennifer Brady of the U.S. or Romanian Monica Niculescu, both ranked outside of the world's Top 50.
MATCH POINT: Pliskova took a medical timeout after the second set to have the trainer treat her right arm. "I'll be ready for the next match," she said. Will she be?
Dolgopolov cruises into fourth round.
WHAT HAPPENED: Alexandr Dolgopolov faced a potentially tough third-round match Saturday against Viktor Troicki, someone he’d lost in two out of three previous meetings. But Dolgopolov was masterful in a dominating 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 victory on the Grandstand court, beating the fellow tour veteran in just one hour and 21 minutes.
If Rafael Nadal beats Leonardo Mayer, Dolgopolov will face the No. 1 seed in his first fourth round of a Grand Slam since his 2011 US Open run.
"Maybe one of my best matches, especially the first two sets," an elated Dolgopolov said afterward. "If you're in the second week, you’re already playing well. I'll just try to keep up with him if (Nadal) wins."
Dolgopolov came out hot on a cool day, taking advantage of two of three break opportunities in the first set and quickly rattling off the first set. Troicki had a chance at 4-1, 30-30 on serve to get back into the set when he had his counterpart on the run — but Dolgopolov confidently tracked down Troicki’s approach shot in the backhand corner to pass him. Dolgopolov held at love to take the set.
He continued to cruise in the second set and Troicki seemed to struggle with his movement, overwhelmed by both the speed and barrage of shots coming from the other end of the court and the inability to push his level to match his opponent's.
Troicki seemed to adapt in the third set, as both men held serve to quickly knot the set at 4-4. But a break in that game and Dolgopolov's normal efficiency on serve put a wide smile on the Ukrainian's face as he rattled off two games for the set and the match. He had taken advantage of nearly every opportunity, converting seven out of 10 break point chances and had just 18 unforced errors to Troicki’s 33 during the route.
WHY IT MATTERS: Troicki led Dolgopolov 2-1 in their head to head, but it was hard to tell, as Dolgopolov controlled near every point. Even on the ones he didn’t, he concentrated on Troicki’s backhand, flummoxing him with punishing, flat groundstrokes and a biting slice backhand. Troicki, No, 52 in the world, is ranked 12 spots higher than the Ukrainian Dolgopolov. As the Ukrainian said after the match, it was one of the best performances on a big stage in his 11-year career.
MATCH POINT: The ATP called Dolgopolov’s February performance in the Argentina Open a "dream week" when he beat Kei Nishikori in the final for his third ATP title.
WHAT HAPPENED: Alexandr Dolgopolov faced a potentially tough third-round match Saturday against Viktor Troicki, someone he’d lost in two out of three previous meetings. But Dolgopolov was masterful in a dominating 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 victory on the Grandstand court, beating the fellow tour veteran in just one hour and 21 minutes.
If Rafael Nadal beats Leonardo Mayer, Dolgopolov will face the No. 1 seed in his first fourth round of a Grand Slam since his 2011 US Open run.
"Maybe one of my best matches, especially the first two sets," an elated Dolgopolov said afterward. "If you're in the second week, you’re already playing well. I'll just try to keep up with him if (Nadal) wins."
Dolgopolov came out hot on a cool day, taking advantage of two of three break opportunities in the first set and quickly rattling off the first set. Troicki had a chance at 4-1, 30-30 on serve to get back into the set when he had his counterpart on the run — but Dolgopolov confidently tracked down Troicki’s approach shot in the backhand corner to pass him. Dolgopolov held at love to take the set.
He continued to cruise in the second set and Troicki seemed to struggle with his movement, overwhelmed by both the speed and barrage of shots coming from the other end of the court and the inability to push his level to match his opponent's.
Troicki seemed to adapt in the third set, as both men held serve to quickly knot the set at 4-4. But a break in that game and Dolgopolov's normal efficiency on serve put a wide smile on the Ukrainian's face as he rattled off two games for the set and the match. He had taken advantage of nearly every opportunity, converting seven out of 10 break point chances and had just 18 unforced errors to Troicki’s 33 during the route.
WHY IT MATTERS: Troicki led Dolgopolov 2-1 in their head to head, but it was hard to tell, as Dolgopolov controlled near every point. Even on the ones he didn’t, he concentrated on Troicki’s backhand, flummoxing him with punishing, flat groundstrokes and a biting slice backhand. Troicki, No, 52 in the world, is ranked 12 spots higher than the Ukrainian Dolgopolov. As the Ukrainian said after the match, it was one of the best performances on a big stage in his 11-year career.
MATCH POINT: The ATP called Dolgopolov’s February performance in the Argentina Open a "dream week" when he beat Kei Nishikori in the final for his third ATP title.
Doubles No. 1 Safarova sprints into singles second week.
WHAT HAPPENED: Defending doubles champion and world No. 1 Lucie Safarova is making noise in singles at the US Open.
The 30-year-old Czech lefty moved into the singles round of 16 for just the second time in her career at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, defeating Japan's Kurumi Nara, 6-3, 6-2 on Court 5.
After needing three sets to win each of her first two matches, including a first round upset of No. 26 Anett Kontaveit, Safarova was brilliant off the court for the entirety of the 69-minute encounter, stroking 34 winners to Nara's nine in 17 games, and breaking serve a total of five times.
She never trailed in the match, though she surrendered serve for the first time while holding a 4-0 lead in the second set, only to rebound and pocket the last two games of the match to move safely through to the second week.
WHAT IT MEANS: Though she is unseeded in singles, coming in at a ranking of world No. 37, Safarova has a Top 10 pedigree. The Czech reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the fall of 2015, thanks in part to finishing runner-up to Serena Williams at Roland Garros, but was derailed by injuries and illness -- including a hospitalization for a bacterial infection -- after her breakout season.
After getting back on track on the doubles court, winning three straight Grand Slams alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands beginning in Flushing Meadows last year, Safarova's summer was stopped only by the in-form Sloane Stephens, who saved match points to defeat the Czech in the quarterfinals in Toronto, and won the rematch in the first round of Cincinnati during the US Open Series.
MATCH POINT: How far can this double threat go in the second week?
WHAT HAPPENED: Defending doubles champion and world No. 1 Lucie Safarova is making noise in singles at the US Open.
The 30-year-old Czech lefty moved into the singles round of 16 for just the second time in her career at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, defeating Japan's Kurumi Nara, 6-3, 6-2 on Court 5.
After needing three sets to win each of her first two matches, including a first round upset of No. 26 Anett Kontaveit, Safarova was brilliant off the court for the entirety of the 69-minute encounter, stroking 34 winners to Nara's nine in 17 games, and breaking serve a total of five times.
She never trailed in the match, though she surrendered serve for the first time while holding a 4-0 lead in the second set, only to rebound and pocket the last two games of the match to move safely through to the second week.
WHAT IT MEANS: Though she is unseeded in singles, coming in at a ranking of world No. 37, Safarova has a Top 10 pedigree. The Czech reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 in the fall of 2015, thanks in part to finishing runner-up to Serena Williams at Roland Garros, but was derailed by injuries and illness -- including a hospitalization for a bacterial infection -- after her breakout season.
After getting back on track on the doubles court, winning three straight Grand Slams alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands beginning in Flushing Meadows last year, Safarova's summer was stopped only by the in-form Sloane Stephens, who saved match points to defeat the Czech in the quarterfinals in Toronto, and won the rematch in the first round of Cincinnati during the US Open Series.
MATCH POINT: How far can this double threat go in the second week?
I'm a bit stunned at being able to get Vesnina in this spot at +290. Complete No-Brainer Play On this for "beer money", at the very least. In humble opinion anyways. Obviously the Best Result for this forum would not be me winning money for beer lol. Infinitely So: The Better Outcome for me as well lmfao
Vesnina is not as utterly incapable in this spot though as a +290 suggests and even MoreSo:
Maddy is capable of being Overwhelmed by the intense pressure of this Hugh Mungus stage. Blaring Lights Saturday Night Drunken NYC Party. Maddy could easily stumble here. In Fact: were she to not stumble...
....this would be very impressive
Elena is the PON...Play of This Night.
Hopefully make some money :toast:
Gael retires.....Not me,i fight till the end.....David is playing well,he marches on.
Talk to me girl.....Talk to me baby.
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Beautiful job Girl [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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Hold your head up high Shelby.....Heck of a Tournament.....Elina Sviolina gets the win.....6-4...7-5.
