U.S. Open Day Six Preview: Top Seeds Djokovic and Serena Aim for Round Four

August 29, 2014 | By Eric C. Peck
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Photo credit: Calvin Rhoden

Saturday, Aug. 30 is Day Six of the 2014 U.S. Open and will again feature the top seeds on both the men’s and women’s sides of the draw seeking to continue their respective runs to the finals. Novak Djokovic looks to maintain his position as number one ranked in the world as he faces American Sam Querrey at Arthur Ashe Stadium in an afternoon matchup. Djokovic brings in a 7-1 head-to-head record against Querrey, one of two Americans left in the third round. Djokovic is looking to advance to the fourth at Flushing Meadows for the eighth consecutive year and 22nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament since a third round exit at Roland Garros in 2008. Djokovic holds a commanding 7-0 record against Americans at the U.S. Open, most recently upending Blake in the third round and Mardy Fish in the Round of 16 in 2010. Querrey is looking to become first American since Andre Agassi defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the semis of the 2002 U.S. Open to beat a world number one at a Grand Slam event.

Immediately following the Djokovic-Querrey match on Ashe, the top-seeded Serena Williams looks to move onward as she faces fellow American, the unseeded Varvara Lepchenko. Serena, a five-time U.S. Open champ, is through to the third round at the U.S. Open for the 15th time in 15 appearances. Lepchenko, making her sixth main draw appearance at the Open, is 0-2 lifetime against world number one players, including a loss to Serena earlier this year in Rome.

Under the lights at Ashe, Canadian upstart Eugenie Bouchard, the seven seed, faces the 30th-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic. Bouchard is through to round three at the U.S. Open for first time, and fourth consecutive Grand Slam third round appearance. Strycova is making her eighth main draw appearance at the Open, and this marks her first round three appearance in eight attempts.

Also under the lights at Ashe, the number 16 seed, Spain’s Tommy Robredo will, face the 19-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios is seeking to become first teenager to reach the fourth round or better at the U.S. Open since 2008, when Juan Martin del Potro reached the quarterfinals at the age of 19, and 18-year-old Kei Nishikori advanced to the Round of 16.

Kicking things off at 11:00 a.m. at Louis Armstrong Stadium, it’s the number three seed Petra Kvitova taking on qualifier and world number 145, Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia. Kvitova is coming off her big Wimbledon win back in June, and is looking to reach round four at U.S. Open for third time, having advanced to round three in both 2009 and 2012.

Immediately following at Louis Armstrong, the number eight seed, Great Britain's Andy Murray faces Russian Andrey Kuznetsov for a trip to the fourth round. Murray is tryong to reach the fourth round in Flushing Meadows for the seventh time in 10 years. Murray has not reached a final since capturing the Wimbledon title last July, a span of 16 tournaments.

Continuing at Louis Armstrong, American John Isner looks to go deeper into week two as he faces a familiar foe in the number 22 seed, Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. Isner leads the head-to-head 4-2, their last meeting an Isner win earlier this year at Auckland (New Zealand). Isner faces Kohlschreiber for the third consecutive year in the third round in New York, after falling in five sets in 2012 (tying a record with a 2:26 a.m. match finish) and in four sets last year. Isner comes into the match with a 4-9 record in Grand Slam round three matches, including 2-4 at the U.S. Open.

It will be an all-American men’s doubles match on the Grandstand Saturday, as the world number one duo Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan will square off with 17-year old Jared Donaldson and 34-year old Michael Russell. The Bryans continue their quest for their 100th career title.

Click here for the complete Day Six schedule of action at the 2014 U.S. Open.

 


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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