Nadal, Clijsters move on at US Open

Top seed Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Gilles Simon of France during the US Open in New York

Photo: AFP

Andy Murray was a major casualty at the US Open on Sunday but Rafael Nadal stormed through as did Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams in the women's tournament.

The 23-year-old Scot was out of sorts against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka and his challenge to Nadal and Roger Federer ended in a crushing 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3 loss.

"He played better than me. There's not a whole lot more to it," the defeated fourth seed said.

"He had a chance to win the first set; didn't take it. I had a chance to win the second set; didn't take it. I just struggled from then on."

Nadal led a Spanish charge with five of their number making it through to the eight fourth-round slots available in the top half of the draw.

The others were eighth seed Fernando Verdasco, 10th seed David Ferrer, 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez and the unseeded Tommy Robredo.

Nadal takes on Lopez and Verdasco goes up against Ferrer in the first quarter, making it certain there will be at least one Spaniard in the semi-finals.

The top seed was never troubled against France's Gilles Simon, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, and he has yet to drop a set in three matches.

"I am in fourth round. That's good news for me - without losing a set - but there remains a lot to do. I am happy where I am, but is only fourth round," Nadal said.

Others through to the last 16 in the top half were US hope Sam Querrey, who defeated Nicolas Almagro of Spain 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and Russia's Mikhail Youzhny who edged American John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

Wawrinka next plays Querrey and Youzhny takes on Robredo.

In the women's tournament, defending champion Kim Clisters won the billed match of the day, trouncing former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1, a victory that was her 18th in a row at Flushing Meadows.

Clijsters was the first player through to the quarter-finals and there she will face Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur, who ousted Russian 12th seed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2).

The Belgian second seed said she quickly adapting to the breezy morning conditions on the Arthur Ashe Centre Court.

"With the wind you have to adjust," she said. "I started moving forward, dictating the points better. I was playing good defense as well."

The other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw sees French Open champion Francesca Schiavone go up against third seed and former champion Venus Williams.

Williams, the last woman to win back-to-back titles here in 2001, saw off a strong early challenge from Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer before winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Schiavone topped Russian 2Oth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-0 with her finest display of tennis since winning her maiden Grand Slam title in Paris in June.

Playing against Venus Williams will be a much different prospect for the Italian, however, as she has lost all seven matches they have played to date.

The American, though, said she would not be over-confident.

"We've had some tough matches. She's definietly had some chances to win against me," Williams said. "Obviously her game is better than ever now."

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Federer, Wozniacki lead US Open stars into third round

Number two seed Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a backhand to Andreas Beck of Germany during their US Open match in New York. Federer won 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki cruised into the third round of the US Open while Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling showed why they are title contenders as well.

Swiss second seed Federer, seeking his 17th Grand Slam crown and a seventh consecutive trip to the US Open final, beat Germany's 104th-ranked Andreas Beck 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 41 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday.

Five-time US Open champion Federer will face 109th-ranked Paul-Henri Mathieu to decide a fourth-round berth on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.

"It's the perfect start," Federer said.

"Body is well. Mentally obviously I'm fresh, too. I haven't played too much, so I'm really eager. I'm ready for tough matches coming around. It's good I'm saving myself, really, and my game is fine."

Danish women's top seed Wozniacki blanked Taiwan's Chang Kai-Chen 6-0, 6-0 in 47 minutes, her 11th match victory in a row after titles at Montreal and New Haven leading into the Open. She has dropped only two games in two matches.

"I go out there and I don't give up. I don't give any free points away and that is one of my strong points," Wozniacki said. "I am feeling fresh, all recovered from everything. I am happy to be playing injury-free. It's perfect."

Russian ace Sharapova routed Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-2, moving closer to a fourth-round showdown with Wozniacki. The 2006 US Open winner struggled with injuries last year but is back on form now.

"Last year here, the position I was in, I was trying to see where my game was, so it's nice to be back on the court and not having to worry about anything other than trying to win," Sharapova said.

Serbian third seed Djokovic advanced 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) over German Philipp Petzschner, saying, "I was shakey the whole match but I was able to hold on."

Djokovic reached the 2007 US Open final and the Flushing Meadows semi-finals the past two years, each time losing to Federer, whom he could again face in the semi-finals.

"It's important to save energy in the opening rounds," Djokovic said. "Overall I can be satisfied with how I played. I played well when I needed to and was a little bit lucky."

Swedish fifth seed Soderling downed American Taylor Dent 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. The French Open runner-up meets Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker next.

"I'm pretty confident. I know I can do well when I play well," Soderling said. "But you need to play well. No one can play well every match. So anything can happen. I can lose first round. I can go on really deep as well."

Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, a 2006 and 2007 US Open semi-final loser to Federer, was ousted 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 by 38th-ranked Richard Gasquet in the biggest upset of the day.

Gasquet, among a record 12 Frenchmen to reach the second round, lost only seven of 52 points on his first serve as Davydenko made his quickest US Open exit since 2005.

Davydenko joined a US Open seeded scrap heap that includes No. 7 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, US ninth seed Andy Roddick and Croatian 11th seed Marin Cilic, who lost to Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in an exhausting five-hour duel.

"I was cramping from the second set but I kept fighting and fighting and got the fourth set tie-breaker. That was key for me," Nishikori said.

"It was hot but I feel good now."

China's Peng Shaui, ranked 61st, shocked Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the biggest upset on the women's side.

Taiwan's Chan Yung-Jan made her deepest Grand Slam run after 17 tries by beating Austria's Tamira Paszek 6-3, 6-3.

"I was not 100 percent in my first match and was missing the easy ball, but that was better today and I'm looking to play even better from now on," Chan said.

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Lightweights throw in the towel at US Open

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Philipp Petzschner of Germany during the US Open tennis tournament in New York, September 2, 2010

Photo: Reuters

There was an old-fashioned fight at the US Open on Thursday but not the one tournament officials wanted to see.

Instead of happening on the court, the scuffle broke out in the upper deck, high above Arthur Ashe Stadium where Novak Djokovic and Philipp Petzschner were locked in their own battle.

Play stopped briefly as New York police handcuffed three rowdy fans and evicted them from Flushing Meadows.

The fracas in the stands came at the end of a day when some of the sport's heavyweights delighted in humbling lesser-known opponents in second round matches.

Each of the five featured matches on center court was decided in straight-sets. At times the quality of tennis was breathtaking and the crowds roared their approval, but it was rarely a fair contest.

Roger Federer's victim was Germany's Andreas Beck. He won the match 6-3 6-4 6-3 in one hour 41 minutes and even the Swiss master himself was impressed.

"It's the perfect start," he said. "I played Monday, had two days off.”

“I had another easy one physically today, and here I am in the third round feeling like I'm completely in the tournament."

Maria Sharapova was also in a hurry, belting Czech Iveta Benesova 6-1 6-2, but neither of the former champions could match the ruthless display from Caroline Wozniacki.

“Double bagel”

The Dane needed just 47 minutes to inflict the dreaded 6-0 6-0 "double bagel" on Taiwan's Chang Kai Chen and remain on course for a meeting with Russian Sharapova in the fourth round.

Russia's Vera Zvonareva, Wimbledon finalist this year, and Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer, semifinalist at the US Open last season, also registered easy wins on another steamy day when the Extreme Weather Policy was invoked as temperatures climbed past 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius).

A year ago, Kim Clijsters was the mom hogging the spotlight at the US Open. This time it is Mother Nature.

Unrelenting heat and swirling winds have transformed the last grand slam of the year into a battle against the elements and now Hurricane Earl is approaching New York, threatening to dump gallons of rain on the city that never sleeps.

Petzschner landed a few blows on Djokovic but the world number three was too crafty for the German, winning 7-5 6-3 7-6 to meet James Blake in the next round.

Djokovic's fellow Serb Jelena Jankovic, the women's fourth seed, survived after being pushed to three sets by Mirjana Lucic.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko, however, was left punch-drunk after being hammered 6-3 6-4 6-2 by Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

"I don't know if I need to have a coach, a mental coach or if I need to go somewhere to change my brain," the sixth seed said.

The casualty rate among the seeds in the first four days of the championship has been almost as brutal as the baking heat with 22 making early exits, including six more Thursday.

Agnieszka Radwanska, Aravane Rezai and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez were sent tumbling out of the women's draw.

Davydenko was the highest men's seed to fall and was joined at the exit by Thomaz Bellucci and Croatia's 11th seed Marin Cilic, upset 5-7 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-1 by Japan's Kei Nishikori.

Trick shot

For Federer it was business as usual in his pursuit of a 17th grand slam title but there was no repeat of the magical between-the-legs trick shot he played in his opening match.

"Tougher matches will only be coming up now, I guess," he said. "It's gonna be interesting to see how the Saturday conditions are going to be with the hurricane sort of moving in.”

“We'll see how that goes."

Djokovic produced a stunning backhand winner on Thursday that would make it on anyone's highlights reel but said he had no plans to try and replicate Federer's shot.

"I have something else between my legs," he told the center court crowd.

Wozniacki is looming as the favorite to win her first grand slam title after a flawless start to the tournament.

Promoted to top seed after world number one Serena Williams withdrew with a foot injury, Wozniacki won three lead-up tournaments and has carried her form into the US Open.

"When you're winning, you have that confidence," she said. "You go out on the court and you know what to do.”

“You're in your own bubble, that's what I'm aiming for."

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Heat hits Azarenka at US tennis Open

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus lies on the court after she collapsed at US tennis Open

Sweltering conditions and gusting winds proved a handful at the US Open on Wednesday, but it was the consequences of a simple training stumble by Belarus starlet Victoria Azarenka that shocked fans.

The 10th seed was 1-5 down in a second round tie against Argentina's Gisela Dulka when she suddenly collapsed in a heap behind the baseline.

She received urgent medical treatment for several minutes before being taken away in a wheelchair to hospital for tests on her condition.

With temperatures at Flushing Meadows once again soaring into the 90s Fahrenheit (30s Celsius), first indications were that she had fallen victim to the extreme conditions.

But Azarenka later shed light on the incident by explaining in a statement that she had fallen in the gym prior to her match while running a sprint and had stumbled forward, hitting her head and arm.

"I was checked by the medical team before I went on court and they were courtside for monitoring," she said.

"I felt worse as the match went on, having a headache and feeling dizzy. I also started having trouble seeing and felt weak before I fell.

"I was taken to the hospital for some medical tests and have been diagnosed with a mild concussion."

A former top junior, Azarenka is regarded as one of the best young players in the world at the moment and had been expected to make a run at the title here.

The conditions did pose problems for third seed Venus Williams as she struggled past Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino.

The sole US seed in the women's draw won through 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 to set up a third-round tie against another qualifier, Mandy Minella of Luxembourg, who upset 32nd seed Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria.

But she was made to scrap for it all the way, especially in a first set which saw Marino, who at 19 was 11 years younger than her opponent and playing in just her second WTA Tour-level event, regularly out-hit the two-time former champion in New York.

Williams had trouble with her serve action as the hot morning conditions on the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court were joined by gusting winds in the afternoon.

Marino, behind a big serve and forehand, stayed with Williams to 3-3 in the tie-breaker, before the sole US seed this year ran off four points in a row to move ahead.

The American won three games in a row to move 4-1 up in the second set and then served out to advance into the third round.

"It was challenging, not just with the conditions, but also my opponent. She served so well and mixes up her shots," Williams said.

"It seemed like every time I had an opening she came up with a big serve, so I guess I know what its like now playing myself."

Defending champion Kim Clijsters avoided the heat at least, winning the opening match of the night session 6-3, 6-1 against 19-year-old Australian qualifier Sally Peers.

Also through was French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who looked back to near her best in a 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Spain's Maria Elena Camerin.

The 30-year-old, who played the best tennis of her life to lift the French crown in Paris in June, said that although she was pleased with the way she had played, she still needed to improve.

"It was nothing special because I want to serve better. I want to play some more aggressive shots," she said.

"I want to became much more stronger, and from the baseline go pushing to the net. I want to do this."

Just as impressive was former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, who looked more like her old self in crushing China's Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-0 in the opening match on the Arthur Ashe Centre Court.

The 22-year-old Serb beauty has been mired in a rut since winning the French Open in 2008 and taking the world number one spot.

She failed to cope with the sudden celebrity and status and saw her world ranking plummet throughout 2009.

But after taking on Steffi Graf's former coach, Heinz Gunthardt, as her mentor in February this year, Ivanovic has been gradually working her way back.

Ivanovic next goes up against French wildcard Virginie Razzano of France, who ousted 13th seeded compatriot Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-4.

"I feel like I am playing like a top-10 player again and my confidence is there, which is huge for me," she said.

Dulko, who advanced on the back of Azarenka's collapse, will next play rising Russian star Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who ended the hopes of Sania Mirza of India 6-2, 6-4.

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Nadal faces tough road to US Open title

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves to Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus during their quarterfinal round match at the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio August 20, 2010

Photo: Reuters

World number one and top seed Rafa Nadal will launch his US Open campaign against Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili after the singles draw for the last grand slam of the year was made at Flushing Meadows on Thursday.

Five-time champion and second seed Roger Federer was drawn to face Argentina's Brian Dabul ahead of a tricky path to a seventh straight final.

The Swiss master could meet former champion Lleyton Hewitt in the third round, Sweden's Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals and Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

Djokovic, the 2007 US Open runner-up and 2008 Australian Open champion, faces his countryman Viktor Troicki first up.

Britain's Andy Murray, a runner-up in New York two years ago and in Australia earlier this season, is in the same half of the draw as Nadal. Murray's first opponent is Slovakia's Lukas Lacko.

Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, who was promoted to top seed in the women's draw after world number one Serena Williams withdrew because of injury, will begin her bid for a first grand slam title against American wildcard Chelsey Gullickson.

Wozniacki, who was runner-up in New York last year, faces a tantalizing fourth-round showdown with Russia's former champion Maria Sharapova while Serbia's Jelena Jankovic looms as a possible semifinal opponent in the top half of the draw.

Jankovic's first round match is against Romania's Simona Halep.

Last year's women's champion, Belgian Kim Clijsters, will start her title defense against Hungarian Greta Arn.

The second seed could meet Australia's French Open finalist Samantha Stosur in the quarterfinals and possibly Venus Williams, a two-time US Open champion, in the semifinals after the American was drawn to play Italian Roberta Vinci first up.

Italy's French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, the sixth seed, was drawn in the same quarter as Williams.

Schiavone plays Japan's Ayumi Morita in the first round.

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Nadal installed as top seed for US Open

Spain's Rafael Nadal trains ahead of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris in this May 21, 2010 file photo

Photo: Reuters

World number one Rafael Nadal was installed as the top men's seed for the US Open on Monday as the Spaniard bids to complete a career grand slam.

While Nadal chases his first US Open crown, Swiss Roger Federer, a finalist at Flushing Meadows the last six years lifting the title five times, is seeded second.

Serb Novak Djokovic is seeded third and Briton Andy Murray, the 2008 US Open runner-up, fourth.

Title holder Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina pulled out of the tournament. He is still recovering from surgery on a right wrist injury that has put him out for almost the whole season.

Andy Roddick is the top American, the 2003 US Open winner seeded ninth.

The USTA will announce the women's seeds on Tuesday due to the Monday finish of the rain-delayed Montreal Cup won by world number two Caroline Wozniacki.

The Dane is expected to be the top women's seed after American world number one Serena Williams was ruled out with an injury.

The US Open starts on August 30.

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