US Open Day 4 highlights

Czech fourth seed Karolina Pliskova overcame local favourite Amanda Anisimova 7-5 6-7(5) 7-6(7) to move into the third round where she will play Ajla Tomljanovic.

Canada’s Denis Shapovalov beat Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 7-6(7) 6-3 6-0 to move into the third round while Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic overcame Croatian 30th seed Petra Martic 7-6(6) 6-4.

American 20-year-old Jenson Brooksby, ranked 99th in the world, came from behind to beat compatriot Taylor Fritz 6-7(7) 7-6(10) 7-5 6-2 in a four-hour contest to book his place in the third round for the first time.

Top seed Novak Djokovic’s bid for a calendar year Grand Slam and 21st major remained on track with a routine 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory over unseeded Tallon Griekspoor from the Netherlands.

Canadian sixth seed Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 champion, rolled to a 6-4 6-4 victory over American Lauren Davis.

Italian Jannik Sinner moved into the third round for the first time with a 6-3 7-6(2) 6-7(6) 6-4 win over unseeded American Zachary Svajda. Former finalist Kei Nishikori scored a 7-6(3) 6-3 6-7(5) 2-6 6-3 win over American Mackenzie McDonald, a player who had beaten the Japanese world number 56 at the Washington Open last month.

Italian world number 89 Andreas Seppi upset 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz 2-6 6-4 6-4 7-6(6) to move into the third round for the first time since 2015. Frenchman Gael Monfils scored a 7-5 4-6 6-4 6-4 win over American Steve Johnson.

Italian Matteo Berrettini was made to work hard by Frenchman Corentin Moutet, but the sixth seed overcame a second-set wobble and 58 unforced errors to score a 7-6(2) 4-6 6-4 6-3 win.

In the third round, Berrettini will face Belarusian Ilya Ivashka, who won the Winston-Salem warm-up event last month.

Former champion and 16th seed Angelique Kerber of Germany secured a 6-3 6-2 win over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, a player who had upset the German in straight sets in the first round at Roland Garros in May.

Olympic champion Alexander Zverev continued his hunt for a maiden Grand Slam title with a 6-1 6-0 6-3 win over Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas, extending his winning streak to 13.

The German, seeded fourth, fired 11 aces and won 93% of points on first serve.

Petra Kvitova, the 10th seed, powered past fellow Czech Kristyna Pliskova with a 7-6(4) 6-2 victory.

Russian Varvara Gracheva stunned 24th seed Paula Badosa 6-4 6-4 while compatriot and French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2 5-7 6-2.

Seventh seed Iga Swiatek surrendered the opening set and came through a tight second to beat Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro 3-6 7-6(3) 6-0, while 28th seed Anett Kontaveit overcame Swiss Jil Teichmann 6-4 6-1.

Top seed Ash Barty of Australia hardly broke sweat as she beat tournament debutant Clara Tauson 6-1 7-5. British teenager Emma Raducanu also advanced in style with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Zhang Shuai and Maria Sakkari downed Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-2.

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, the 11th seed, made short work of Martina Trevisan, beating the Italian 6-3 6-1 in 71 minutes.

Both players sent down 16 winners, but Trevisan won 48% of her first-serve points and made more than double the number of unforced errors Bencic did.

Play got underway at Flushing Meadows after a delayed start, with top seed Ash Barty taking on Denmark’s Clara Tauson at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

REUTERS