Marina Alex leads Hamilton takes LPGA Manulife Monza pole, Classic15 in Canada equals19 legends SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 Arthur issues Pakistan one-day side warning Page 18 NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia during his third round Men’s Singles match on Day Five of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Friday in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. — AFP Djokovic wins in 32 minutes, Nadal breezes NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first broke down in tears as she twice tried and failed to The Dane’s 6-3, 6-1 victory featured eight breaks of 16 in just 32 minutes Friday when Mikhail Youzhny time. Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time serve for the victory. serve. Roberta Vinci, the Italian seventh seed and run- retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael since 2013 — the year of his last New York title-with a 6- “This is the greatest comeback of my career, hands ner-up to compatriot Flavia Pennetta in 2015, overcame Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in 1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov. down,” said Keys who will face two-time runner-up a second set blip to defeat 21-year-old Carina Witthoeft three years. “Andrey is always a tough opponent, he returns well Caroline Wozniacki for a quarter-final spot. In stark con- 6-0, 5-7, 6-3. Today, history can be made at Flushing Meadows and has good shots from the baseline,” said fourth seed trast, German second seed and Australian Open cham- The 33-year-old Vinci led 5-4, 30-0 in the second set with Serena Williams going for her 307th Grand Slam Nadal who faces France’s Lucas Pouille for a quarter- pion Angelique Kerber closed out the night session before her 84th-ranked German opponent dug deep to win when she takes on Sweden’s Johanna Larsson for a final slot. with a 6-1, 6-1 win in just 53 minutes against American take the tie into a decider. But Vinci prevailed on the place in the last 16. That would lift her past Martina “I had a fantastic first set, a little trouble with my 17-year-old CiCi Bellis. Kerber, who claimed her season- back of 40 winners and will meet Lesia Tsurenko of the Navratilova for the most in the Open Era as she targets a serve in the second but the third was key so I’m very leading 50th match win, next faces two-time Ukraine for a quarter-final place. seventh title. happy.” Djokovic’s very brief encounter had been pre- Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova. Tsurenko, the world 99, made the last 16 at a Slam for Defending men’s champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead ceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women’s eighth seed Jack Sock, the American 26th seed, reached the the first time by beating 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat fourth round for the first time by knocking out 2014 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 27-year-old Tsurenko committed 44 it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury. Japan’s Naomi Osaka. champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in tie where he did unforced errors. Fortunately for her, newly-married The outcome completed a bizarre first week for Keys won the latest-ever finishing women’s match at not face a single break point. Cibulkova hit 54. world number one Djokovic. After labouring over four the tournament on Monday when she completed victo- The 23-year-old Sock, whose last two appearances at Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova backed up her shock sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed ry over compatriot Alison Riske at 1:48am. On Friday, the US Open had ended in retirements, goes on to face victory over third seed and French Open champion a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent the 21-year-old was involved in more drama when she French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga, a two- Garbine Muguruza by making the last 16 for the first Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with rallied from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Osaka 7- time quarter-finalist, made the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7- time with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kateryna Bondarenko of an arm injury. “I have never had this happen before in 5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3). 6 (7/4) victory over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. the Ukraine. my Grand Slam career, getting a walkover and the next Wozniacki, who knocked out ninth-seeded former World number 48 Sevastova, who briefly retired in match lasting just half an hour,” said Djokovic. The top KEYS BENEFITS FROM CHOKE champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, 2013, has matched her best run at a Slam and next faces seed next faces Britain’s world number 84 Kyle Edmund The 18-year-old Osaka was so traumatised by her fail- clinched a seventh win in seven meetings over unortho- British 13th seed Johanna Konta who put out Belinda who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6- ure to convert her dominance into victory that she dox Monica Niculescu of Romania. Bencic 6-2, 6-1. — AFP Halep gets Hungarian fright before reaching last 16 NEW YORK: Fifth seed Simona Halep narrowly avoided US Open and is pursuing a third major on a diet of a third-round upset with a 6-1 2-6 6-4 win over movies, napping and as little practice as possible. Hungary’s Timea Babos yesterday to keep her US Open The big-hitting Czech, who captured the Wimbledon title hopes alive. crown in 2011 and 2014, is in the second week of a Halep came into the match having dropped nine major for the first time this year. games in her opening two matches and looked ready to It’s been achieved without dropping a set and by stu- make speedy work of Babos but she needed two hours diously avoiding as often as possible the sometimes tor- and eight minutes on an overcast Arthur Ashe Stadium tuous trip from Manhattan across the East River to court to secure her place in the last 16. Queens. n”It’s funny. We were joking today that we were After blitzing the opening set in 24 minutes, Halep going to the site for the fourth time and I played three meekly surrendered the second to the 34th-ranked matches,” said the 26-year-old Czech. Babos, who had been knocked out in the opening “I came here on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. round in four previous visits to Flushing Meadows. Last year I did the same. I played five matches and I Babos continued to apply the pressure in the third, spent six days here. breaking Halep at the first opportunity, but the fiery “I’m happy that I’m not a person who has to practice Romanian battled back, angrily smashing her racket on every day.” It was a plan which worked well for Kvitova to the court before holding serve for a 5-4 lead. Halep 12 months ago when she made the quarter-finals, her was gifted her place in the fourth round when Babos best run by far in New York, a city which has taken its double-faulted to hand her the break and match. time to convince her of its charms. “I don’t know how I came back,” Halep told reporters. “I’m not really a fan of the traffic, but I started to like “I felt like I didn’t play my best but I was fighting to the it last year when I played well and I made the quarter- end for every ball. “I was trying to push her back. I was finals.” Kvitova is some way behind Serena Williams (22 trying to run for every ball. I did everything I could Grand Slam titles) and Venus Williams (seven) when it today and I’m really happy I could finish the match in comes to the big-stage experience. my way.” “I try to have a nap every day. I do a little bit of shop- Next up for Halep is 11th-seeded Spaniard Carla ping or just walk in the city and do the fitness. After Suarez Navarro who advanced with a tidy 6-4 6-3 win lunch I watch a movie or something.” Kvitova made the over Russian Elena Vesnina. last 16 on Friday by beating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-4 and Outside of the Williams sisters, Petra Kvitova is the will face either second seed Angelique Kerber or CiCi NEW YORK: Simona Halep of Romania hits a return to Timea Babos of Hungary during their 2016 US Open only multiple women’s Grand Slam title winner in the Bellis for a place in the quarter-finals today. — Agencies women’s singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center yesterday in New York. — AFP .