World No. 1 Novak Djokovic battled through neck pain on the way to a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory on Monday over Ricardas Berankis at the Western & Southern Open, where second seed Dominic Thiem crashed out.
Djokovic, who pulled out of doubles with a sore neck on Sunday, made it through to the round of 16 despite the ailment, for which he received treatment on court. He next faces American Tennys Sandgren, a 6-7(4), 6-2, 7-6(5) winner over 15th-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The upset of the day was at the opposite end of the men's draw, as 32nd-ranked Filip Krajinovic of Serbia toppled Austria's Thiem 6-2, 6-1. Krajinovic lined up a meeting with Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, who ousted 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Andy Murray also notched up an upset, surprising World No. 7 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 for his first win over a top-10 player in more than three years. In women’s action, third-seeded Serena Williams bucked the upset trend that saw top seed Karolina Pliskova and number two Sofia Kenin ousted on Sunday. The 23-time Grand Slam champion battled back from the brink against Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus, dominating a third-set to win 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(0).
Important results: Men: Second round: Novak Djokovic bt Ricardas Berankis 7-6(2), 6-4; Tennys Sandgren bt Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7(4), 6-2, 7-6(5); Jan-Lennard Struff bt Denis Shapovalov 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4; Daniil Medvedev bt Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-4; Roberto Bautista bt Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-1; Andy Murray bt Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-5; Milos Raonic bt Daniel Evans 6-3, 7-5; Marton Fucsovics bt Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 4-6, 6-2; Filip Krajinovic bt Dominic Thiem 6-2, 6-1.
Women: Second round: Elise Mertens bt Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3; Aryna Sabalenka bt Catherine Bellis 6-7(1), 6-4, 7-5; Naomi Osaka bt Karolina Muchova 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2; Dayana Yastremska bt Bernarda Pera 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3; Anett Kontaveit bt Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-4; Marie Bouzkova bt Petra Kvitova 2-6, 7-5, 6-2; Johanna Konta bt Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-0; Serena Williams bt Arantxa Rus 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(0); Victoria Azarenka bt Caroline Garcia 6-2, 7-6(8).
