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Djokovic and Wozniacki impress at US Open
Source: Agencies |
September 7, 2010, Tuesday
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NOVAK Djokovic stormed into the quarter-finals of the US Open yesterday to remind Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal exactly why he is regarded as a serious contender to win the men's championship before Caroline Wozniacki cleared one of the major hurdles in her bid to win the women's title.
Djokovic, getting better with each match after a shaky start to the tournament, laid down the challenge to his main rivals with a comprehensive 6-3 6-4 6-1 over American crowd favorite Mardy Fish, the 19th seed.
"It's very encouraging at this stage of the tournament that I'm raising my game and feeling more comfortable on the court," Djokovic said. "I played a great match today."
Wozniacki kept her cool to defeat an error-prone Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-4 in one of the most eagerly awaited matches at the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court.
A surprise finalist 12 months ago but the top seed this year after the withdrawal of injured world number one Serena Williams, Wozniacki showed how far she has come by beating the former champion in straight sets.
"I definitely think I've improved a lot, not only physically, but also I believe in myself more. I believe I can do it," Wozniacki said.
Sharapova contributed to her own defeat with 36 unforced errors and nine double faults, including three on successive points.
"I had my fair share of chances and didn't take them throughout this whole year in the big events," the Russian said. "That's just the way it's gone."
Wozniacki's next opponent is Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who is the only unseeded player left in the women's draw and also the smallest at just 1.61 metres (5-foot-3).
"Okay, I'm short, but, you know, I'm really quick," the 45th-ranked Cibulkova said.
"I can be fast on the court and I have no problem with the low balls."
Cibulkova advanced with a 7-5 7-6 win over another former Russian champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, who attributed her defeat on the schedule.
"It was very hard for me to play one night the second night match and then in one day to play at 11 o'clock," Kuznetsova said.
"I just didn't feel good today. I was very flat. I was just fighting with myself and was not doing all the time the things I was supposed to do."
Estonia's Kaia Kanepi recovered from a horrendous start to wear down Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer 0-6 7-6 6-1 and reach the last eight against the only surviving Russian woman, Vera Zvonareva, after the Wimbledon finalist outgunned Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-1 6-2.
Gael Monfils overpowered his countryman Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-5 7-5 to become the first Frenchman in a decade to reach the US Open quarter-finals. The next opponent for the world number 19 is Djokovic.
Sweden's two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling eased into the quarter-finals with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 victory over Albert Montanes, one of six Spaniards who made the last 16 of the men's draw.
Soderling will play the winner of yesterday's final match between number two seed Roger Federer and Jurgen Melzer of Austria.
Djokovic, getting better with each match after a shaky start to the tournament, laid down the challenge to his main rivals with a comprehensive 6-3 6-4 6-1 over American crowd favorite Mardy Fish, the 19th seed.
"It's very encouraging at this stage of the tournament that I'm raising my game and feeling more comfortable on the court," Djokovic said. "I played a great match today."
Wozniacki kept her cool to defeat an error-prone Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-4 in one of the most eagerly awaited matches at the Arthur Ashe Stadium center court.
A surprise finalist 12 months ago but the top seed this year after the withdrawal of injured world number one Serena Williams, Wozniacki showed how far she has come by beating the former champion in straight sets.
"I definitely think I've improved a lot, not only physically, but also I believe in myself more. I believe I can do it," Wozniacki said.
Sharapova contributed to her own defeat with 36 unforced errors and nine double faults, including three on successive points.
"I had my fair share of chances and didn't take them throughout this whole year in the big events," the Russian said. "That's just the way it's gone."
Wozniacki's next opponent is Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who is the only unseeded player left in the women's draw and also the smallest at just 1.61 metres (5-foot-3).
"Okay, I'm short, but, you know, I'm really quick," the 45th-ranked Cibulkova said.
"I can be fast on the court and I have no problem with the low balls."
Cibulkova advanced with a 7-5 7-6 win over another former Russian champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, who attributed her defeat on the schedule.
"It was very hard for me to play one night the second night match and then in one day to play at 11 o'clock," Kuznetsova said.
"I just didn't feel good today. I was very flat. I was just fighting with myself and was not doing all the time the things I was supposed to do."
Estonia's Kaia Kanepi recovered from a horrendous start to wear down Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer 0-6 7-6 6-1 and reach the last eight against the only surviving Russian woman, Vera Zvonareva, after the Wimbledon finalist outgunned Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-1 6-2.
Gael Monfils overpowered his countryman Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-5 7-5 to become the first Frenchman in a decade to reach the US Open quarter-finals. The next opponent for the world number 19 is Djokovic.
Sweden's two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling eased into the quarter-finals with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-3 victory over Albert Montanes, one of six Spaniards who made the last 16 of the men's draw.
Soderling will play the winner of yesterday's final match between number two seed Roger Federer and Jurgen Melzer of Austria.
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