US Open: Heat no problem as Roger Federer breezes into third round
Roger Federer fired 11 aces and a total of 46 winners in the comfortable win. (Source: Reuters)
Roger Federer kept up his sprint through the early rounds of the U.S. Open on Thursday, steamrolling Steve Darcis of Belgium 6-1 6-2 6-1 to reach the third round of the year’s final grand slam.
Federer took just 80 minutes to dispatch the 66th-ranked Darcis under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium and has lost just nine games in his first two matches.
In an ominous warning to his rivals, Federer said his early form points to a successful fortnight at Flushing Meadows, one of his favourite haunts.
“Very often I start this tournament quite strong,” said the 34-year-old.
“It’s always gone quite well for me. I’ve always enjoyed conditions here – the balls, the speed of the court, the atmosphere in the arena.
“I think this is another good year.”
Federer won five U.S. Open titles in a row from 2004 to 2008 but has not made it to the final in New York since finishing runner-up in 2009.
The evergreen Swiss is feeling confident this time after a strong season and impressive build-up to the event.
He was a finalist at Wimbledon in July and has captured five ATP titles this year, including last month’s Cincinnati Masters, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final.
Playing with free-flowing aggression, Federer fired 11 aces and a total of 46 winners past Darcis while committing 25 errors.
Comfortable in the New York spotlight, he matched Serena Williams for the most U.S. Open wins at night, improving his record to 29-1.
“I’ve enjoyed myself so many times, so many years,” he said in an on-court interview.
“It’s wonderful that I can still experience it and play this well. It’s great.
“I hope this is not my last one, of course.”
Federer’s next opponent is Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, a straight-sets winner over Czech Lukas Rosol.
Simona Halep and Stan Wawrinka beat the heat with straight-sets wins to reach the third round of a sweltering U.S. Open on Thursday while American hope Jack Sock wilted under the punishing conditions, collapsing on court.
However, Andy Murray and Johanna Konta showed British players can sweat it out for a win as both went the distance to claim second round victories.
Third seed Murray came out ice cold on a broiling afternoon but caught fire and rallied for a five-set 5-7 4-6 6-1 6-3 6-1 win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
Konta, meanwhile, provided the upset of the day after toiling for three hours and 27 minutes under a blazing sun to see off ninth-seeded Spaniard and Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza 7-6(4) 6-7(4) 6-2.
“We need to believe, which is not always easy,” Murray told reporters. “Obviously, I had quite a few opportunities, I think I was one for seven on breakpoints (in the first set).
“I just wasn’t able to break at any of the important moments, unfortunately. I just had to kind of tell myself that I would get there eventually. Managed to turn it round.”
As courtside temperatures pushed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Romanian second seed Halep wasted little time finishing off Ukraine qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3 6-4 in just 76 minutes before escaping to the air-conditioned comfort of the players’ lounge.
Fifth-seeded Swiss Wawrinka outslugged promising South Korean teenager Chung Hyeon, but still needed three tiebreaks to sweat out a 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 7-6(6) second round decision.
“Today was a really tough day with the conditions,” Wawrinka said. “You have to really be careful how you get ready for the match, what you eat, what you’re going do and what you’re going take during the match.
“I know that I’m ready physically to battle for long hours in that condition. Today was hot, was humid, but still we play three hours and I’m feeling OK.”
SOCK DOWN
Next up for the French Open champion is Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium, who advanced when Sock retired due to cramping while leading 6-4 6-4 3-6 1-2.
Sock had looked in control of the match but began to show signs of distress in the third set, then sent shockwaves through the crowd when he began to cramp and dropped to the court as medical staff rushed to his aid.
The American grimaced in pain as he was wrapped in chilled towels with bags of ice also placed around his body.
A wheelchair was brought out but after several minutes, Sock was helped to his feet and, assisted by a trainer under each arm, limped off the court.
The week-long heatwave has taken a heavy toll at the year’s final grand slam with 12 players retiring due to the conditions or because of injuries in the opening round before Sock added his name to the casualty list in the second.
There was more upbeat news for American fans, however, as 13th seed John Isner blasted his way into the third round, pounding 17 aces in a 6-3 6-4 6-3 win over Russia’s Michael Youzhny, while Donald Young claimed his second-round match with a 3-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 decision over Britain’s Aljaz Bedene.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the 11th seed, also took the express route into the third round by taming Italian Karin Knapp 7-5 6-2, while 20th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was a 7-5 6-4 winner over Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer.
Australian Sam Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion and last player to beat world number one Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows four years ago, looked ready to make another run at the title as she crushed Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-1 6-1.
