New York: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer edged closer to a US Open semifinal blockbuster as controversial Italian Fabio Fognini was kicked out for a vile, misogynistic tirade at a female umpire here Saturday.
Nadal, 31, saw off Argentine lucky loser Leonardo Mayer 6-7(3/7), 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, taking his record over the World No.59 from Buenos Aires to 4-0. He will next face Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, against whom he is 6-2, for a place in the quarterfinals.
Five-time champion Federer brushed aside 31st seed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 to take his career record against the Spaniard, playing a 63rd successive Grand Slam, to 13-0.
Nadal had dropped the first set of his second-round match against Japan’s Taro Daniel before winning in four. Saturday was almost a carbon copy with the 15-time Major winner unable to convert any of six points in the opener.
But the match turned on its head in the 10-minute seventh game of the second set when, on his 14th breakpoint of the encounter, Nadal finally smashed through.
“It was tough. It took 14 breakpoints to get my first break – that’s not a good figure. But I was there mentally and fought a lot at the right moments,” said Nadal under the Arthur Ashe roof as rain fell outside.
Federer had needed back-to-back five-setters to defeat Frances Tiafoe and Mikhail Youzhny in his first two rounds. However, Saturday, he swept past Lopez to reach the fourth round for the 16th time. “I’m very happy to get through. It’s a great feeling to play out here,” said Federer.
Kohlschreiber, the German 33rd seed, eliminated Australia’s John Millman 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 while Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem defeated France’s Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to make the last 16 for the third time in four years.
Thiem next faces 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, who put out Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
Women’s top seed Karolina Pliskova however, had to save a match point before defeating China’s Zhang Shuai. Top seed Pliskova, the runner-up here in 2016, triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 but was forced to save a match point in the 10th game of the second set and recover from a break down in the decider.
Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina stayed in contention for the title with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Shelby Rogers of the United States. However, there was a major upset when Russia’s Daria Kasatkina reached the last 16 of a Major for the first time by seeing off French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, the 12th seed, 6-3, 6-2.
Fognini kicked out
New York: Controversial Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini was kicked out Saturday of the US Open for a vile, sexist tirade at female umpire Louise Engzell during his first round singles match Wednesday. The 30-year-old Fognini aimed two ugly misogynistic blasts at the umpire as he crashed to defeat. However, he continued playing doubles with compatriot Simone Bolelli, won two rounds Thursday and Friday before the Grand Slam board defaulted him. He was also fined $24,000 for the incident.
agence france-presse
