Novak Djokovic on Friday sailed into the last 16 of the US Open as off-court intrigue forced a delay of a men’s singles match over issues linked to COVID-19.
Djokovic outclassed Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in a routine victory for the world No. 1, who is chasing an 18th Grand Slam singles title.
Far from routine was a last-minute attempt by New York State health officials to prevent France’s Adrian Mannarino from playing his last-32 encounter against German fifth seed Alexander Zverev.
Photo: AP
The intervention led to a back and forth between tournament organizers and the state government and resulted in the match, which Zverev won in four sets, starting over three hours late.
“It was a weird situation for me,” said Mannarino, one of 11 players put under enhanced safety protocols earlier this week after compatriot Benoit Paire was withdrawn from the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.
“I was just lying on the sofa still trying to be focused just in case I would go on court,” he said, following Zverev’s 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Zverev next faces unseeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the last 16, while Djokovic is to face Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in the quarter-finals.
Earlier, Japan’s Naomi Osaka battled into the last 16 of the women’s draw.
The two-time Grand Slam winner required three sets and 2 hours, 33 minutes to dislodge 18-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk in an early game at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Japanese fourth seed, who threw her racquet in frustration after losing the second set on a tiebreak, prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 against the world No. 137.
“I just felt like I had so many points that I didn’t capitalize on. I think when I went up, I became a bit passive and then she came in because she has no fear,” the 22-year-old Osaka said.
Her experience came to the fore in the deciding set as she held her serve and broke Kostyuk twice to set up a match against 14th seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia for a place in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, sixth seed Petra Kvitova breezed past Jessica Pegula of the US 6-4, 6-3 to set up a last-16 encounter with compatriot Shelby Rogers.
Eighth seed Petra Martic of Croatia swept aside unseeded Russian Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-3.
Martic next faces Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the last 16, after the 23rd seed powered past Vera Lapko of Belarus 6-3, 6-3.
Germany’s 17th seed Angelique Kerber also progressed to the fourth round, making light work of the US’ Ann Li 6-3, 6-4.
Kerber, the 2016 US Open champion, next faces Jennifer Brady for a quarter-final spot after the American 28th seed knocked out France’s Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-3.
Garcia had provided the biggest upset of the tournament on Wednesday when she eliminated top seed Karolina Pliskova.
In the men’s draw, Croatia’s 27th seed Borna Coric staged a remarkable Houdini act to stun fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a 4 hour, 36 minute late-night thriller.
Coric appeared to be heading for certain defeat after Tsitsipas, leading by two sets to one, opened up a 5-1 lead in the fourth.
However, Coric rallied, saving six match points and fighting back to take the set 7-5 to force a decider.
Tsitsipas went a break up once more in the fifth, but could not press home the advantage as Coric forced a tiebreak before clinching a 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win.
Twelfth seed Denis Shapovalov recovered from 5-2 down in the fourth set to pip American No. 19 seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.
Fritz, 22, was within two points of victory before the 21-year-old Shapovalov completed a remarkable comeback.
“I think we both deserved to win,” Shapovalov said. “It was great tennis and I think I just got a little bit lucky.”
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