Wawrinka Survives Challenge From Chung

September 3, 2015 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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French Open champion Stan Wawrinka got through to the third round of the U.S. Open on Thursday, moving past Korean teenager Hyeon Chung in three tie-breakers, 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 7-6(6).

Much like his opening round match, Wawrinka played a bit of an inconsistent match, but Chung had a lot to do with that. The 19-year-old displayed a wonderful game that gave Wawrinka fits, but the fifth-seeded Swiss was able to pull through.

“He’s good,” said Wawrinka of the teenager. “He’s a great fighter and not easy to play.”

Despite 66 unforced errors, Wawrinka fired 62 winners. Chung was the aggressor at the net, winning 21 of the 33 net points, but Wawrinka came away with points in the crucial moments.

Wawrinka moves on to play Belgian Ruben Bemelmans, who advanced past the 28th-seeded American Jack Sock after Sock was forced to retire from the match. Sock fainted on court while up two sets to one and had to be helped off due to heat exhaustion.

Earlier in the day, Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci beat Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka, 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 to move on. Bellucci will play the winner of the match between France’s Adrian Mannarino and the third-seeded Andy Murray.

American Rajeev Ram’s run in Flushing came to an end as well on Thursday, as Serbian Viktor Troicki snuck out a first-set tie-breaker and went on to win 7-6(10), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance. Troicki awaits the winner of the match between Aljaz Bedene and Donald Young on Court 17.


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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