U.S. Open 2011 Day Seven Recap

September 5, 2011 | By Eric C. Peck
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Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

In Sunday action at the 2011 U.S. Open, 22-year-old American Donald Young reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time, beating 24th-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela from Argentina in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3. A full house at the Grandstand gave Young a standing ovation as he celebrated the victory, pumping his fist and grinning widely. Young had 46 winners to Chela’s 19.

Six years after he became the youngest boy to finish a season as the world’s top-ranked junior player, Young is finally making his breakthrough at a major tournament. The 84th-ranked lefty, who got in to the 2011 U.S. Open draw as a wild card, upset 14th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka in five sets in the second round. The 32-year-old Chela, a clay-court specialist from Argentina, made the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows in 2007.

"We were doing two-a-days in the gym, two-a-days of tennis, which is more than I’ve ever done before," said Young about his training for the 2011 U.S. Open, "For a time right after, I was beat, but I think it’s starting to pay off now."

Young advances to play the number four seed, Great Britain’s Andy Murray, who defeated the number 25 seed, Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday evening.

Another American, Andy Roddick is back in the fourth round of the U.S. Open for the first time since 2008. The 2003 U.S. Open champion beat 81st-ranked Julien Benneteau from France, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (5). The 21st-seeded American didn’t have his serve broken and faced only three break points. Roddick next faces fifth-seeded David Ferrer, who defeated Florian Mayer, the 26th-seeded German, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(2). Roddick had just 16 unforced errors the entire match to Benneteau’s 36.

"A lot of what I do feeds into what he does well also," said Roddick on facing Ferrer. "I don’t think there are a lot of secrets between us. Most of the time we played, whoever has executed better has won."

Roddick lost in the second round at Flushing Meadows last year and the third round in 2009. Benneteau, who got in on a wild card, had to retire in the second round of the 2010 Open with a left wrist injury and missed the rest of the season. The Frenchman upset 10th-seeded Nicholas Almagro in the first round this year.

And also representing the U.S. in the Round of 16 is the number 28 seed, John Isner, who was a 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-4 winner over his fellow countryman, Alex Bogomolov Jr. Isner will do battle next with the number 12 seed, France’s Gilles Simon, a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) winner over Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, the number 18 seed.

Early in the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the number two seed, Spain’s Rafael Nadal was a winner over the unseeded David Nalbandian from Argentina, 7-6(5), 6-1, 7-5. A scary moment took place during Nadal’s post-match press conference when he showed extreme discomfort and proceeded to slip onto the floor and request a trainer. He was soon sitting up and then standing after being given bags of ice to remedy post-match leg cramps. Nadal advances to face the unseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in the Round of 16. Muller was a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 winner over another unseeded player, Russian Igor Kunitsyn.

"I think I played better every day," said Nadal when asked about his progress to date in Flushing Meadows. "Today at times, I played on a very positive level … a very high level. I am happy with my two weeks here. Even if I lose in the next round, for me, it was a positive week."

On the women’s side of the draw on Sunday, Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, the number 26 seed, defeated China’s Shuai Peng, the 13-seed, 6-4, 7-6(6) at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Pennetta advances to face the unseeded German, Angelique Kerber, who was a 6-4, 6-3 winner Sunday over Romania’s Monica Niculescu.

The number nine seed, Australian Samantha Stosur, was a 6-2, 6-7(15), 6-3 winner over the 25th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko. Stosur faces a tough test in the Round of 16 when she’ll face the number two seed, Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, a 6-2, 6-3 winner Sunday over Germany’s Sabine Lisicki, the number 22 seed.

Credit all photos to Kenneth B. Goldberg

 

Russia’s Vera Zvonareva was a 6-2, 6-3 winner Sunday over Germany’s Sabine Lisicki, the number 22 seed

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

American Donald Young was a 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 straight set winner over the 24th-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela from Argentina on Sunday

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Great Britain’s Andy Murray, defeated the number 25 seed, Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday evening

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

David Nalbandian lost to the number two seed, Rafael Nadal, on Sunday in action at the 2011 U.S. Open

 

John Isner was a 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-4 winner over his fellow countryman, Alex Bogomolov Jr.

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg 

Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, the number 26 seed, defeated China’s Shuai Peng, the 13-seed, 6-4, 7-6(6) at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Sunday

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

David Ferrer, the number five seed, defeated Florian Mayer, the 26th-seeded German, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(2) on Court 17

 

The 25th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko was defeated by Australian Samantah Stosur on Sunday

 

Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Number two-seeded Rafael Nadal was victorious Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium over David Nalbandian, 7-6(5), 6-1, 7-5

 

The unseeded Alex Bogomolov Jr. in action against fellow countryman, John Isner

 

Spain’s Feliciano Lopez in his match under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Andy Murray

 


Eric C. Peck

Eric C. Peck is Editor-in-Chief of Long Island Tennis Magazine. He may be reached by e-mail at eric@litennismag.com

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