NEW YORK, September 6, 2016
The quarterfinals of the US Open are set, as the last fourth round matches concluded at Flushing Meadows on Monday. Andy Murray impressed with a convincing 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory over number 22 Grigor Dimitrov.
The second seed from Great Britain sent down nine aces, winning 79 per cent of his first service points to advance in exactly two hours of play.
“I played very well. Tactically I played a very good match. I don’t think I made any mistakes there. I kept good concentration throughout,” Murray said. “I think Grigor played his best, but I didn’t really give him a chance to get into the match.”
Murray will next tangle with sixth favourite Kei Nishikori, who edged past Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-4, 7-6. Murray leads the head to head record 7-1, including straight sets win on the hard courts in Rio last month.
“I have played well against him in the past. But he likes these conditions. He plays well in New York. He’s made his only [Grand] Slam final here. He beat Novak here,” Murray said. “He’s obviously playing pretty well this summer.”
Former champion and current world number 142 Juan Martin del Potro, who was given a wild card into the main draw, is the lowest-ranked US Open quarterfinalist since the 174th-ranked Jimmy Connors 25 years ago.
The 27-year-old Argentine advanced when Austrian youngster Dominic Thiem was forced to retire from their fourth round clash due to a right leg injury. Del Potro was leading 6-3, 3-2 with a break in the second set.
“It was the knee,” Thiem explained. “I had some problems with blisters, and maybe because of the compensation the knee started to hurt. I’m going to do an MRI now in the next couple of hours, and then I will have more information about it. From the end of the first set, beginning of the second set, it got worse and worse. No other choice.”
It’s not nice to win this way. Get well soon @ThiemDomi!! pic.twitter.com/QyDKFSFOFA
— Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) 5. September 2016
“I didn’t expect to be in the quarters in my second Grand Slam after my comeback,” said del Potro. “I’m doing in a good way because I’m playing good tennis. My level is growing up every day.
“I’m so glad to be part of the last eight in this tournament, and that I will have the chance to play another big challenge after tomorrow. Everything can happen. So I will try to be there.”
Del Potro will next take on Stan Wawrinka. The 31-year-old Swiss is through to the quarterfinals in New York for the fourth year in a row after beating Illya Marchenko 6-4, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3.
Women’s Quarterfinals Are Set
In the women’s quarterfinals top seed Serena Williams will take on the tournament’s number five Simona Halep. At her first appearance at the US Open, unseeded Croatian Ana Konjuh will face 10th favourite Karolina Pliskova.
Second seed Angelique Kerber and Roberta Vinci will open the stage of the final eight on Tuesday. Their head-to-head is even at 2-2, but they haven’t played in over three years. Carolina Wozniacki will play Anastasija Sevastova, who has been the story of the women’s draw so far, with her transformation from retirement to first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist.
