We’re going to wrap up the live blog here but we’ll be back for the night session, covering Novak Djokovic against Tennys Sandgren. Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki play too, while it’s Gael Monfils v Kei Nishikori. And Marin Cilic and Reechard Gasquet’s matches are likely to spill into the night session too, given they’re yet to get on court. Thanks for reading/emailing/tweeting etc. Bye!
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Federer has now given his thoughts on the Kyrgios-Lahyani incident:
It’s not the umpire’s role to go down from the chair. You don’t go and speak like that in my opinion. He was there for too long. Conversations can change your mindset.
This will no doubt rumble on, but here’s our first take on events, with Kevin Mitchell’s report to follow:
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Last year’s surprise semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta has retired at 2-0 down in the fifth set against Joao Sousa, the 10th seed David Goffin leads Robin Haase by two sets to one and mixed news for the French, with Lucas Pouille going two sets to one up against Marcos Baghdatis but Julien Benneteau going down 6-3 in the final set to the German Jan-Lennard Struff.
A fascinating glimpse into the future of men’s tennis is getting under way on Court 17, between two of the game’s brightest young stars, the 19-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur and the 20-year-old American Frances Tiafoe. De Minaur, who has been called “the future of tennis” by Daniil Medvedev, is lightning quick and has a will to win reminiscent of Lleyton Hewitt, who just happens to be his mentor. Tiafoe, who gave Federer quite a scare at the US Open last year, is the bigger hitter of the two, but it’s the counterpuncher with the early advantage, De Minaur leading with the break, 2-1.
Ostapenko beats Townsend 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
“Let’s make it two grand slams Jelena!” a slightly over-excited fan screams from the stands as Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, breaks for the second time in this deciding set for 5-4. On the first occasion, the young Latvian was broken back. Townsend tonks a ridiculous forehand winner down the line for 15-all. Ostapenko, not to be outdone, hits her way to 30-15 and then 40-15, two match points. Ostapenko wins through, hitting 38 winners along the way, and she’ll face the victor of the night match between Maria Sharapova and Sorana Cirstea next.
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#USOpen puts out a statement on Kyrgios-Lahyani with its official version of events… which doesn’t align all that well with what was audible on microphones and why it was an issue. pic.twitter.com/0FySZcUs9D
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 30, 2018
And the thoughts of Kyrgios’s beaten opponent, Pierre-Hugues Herbert:
I don’t think [Lahyani] has to go down and take the position of a coach like you can see on the WTA tour. It’s not his job.
This from Nick Kyrgios’s press conference, regarding the umpire Mohamed Lahyani’s intervention in the second set:
I’m not sure it was encouragement. He said he liked me. I’m not sure it’s encouragement. I know what I was doing wasn’t a good look. But it didn’t help me at all. It’s ridiculous. He wasn’t coaching me at all. I haven’t had a coach in years. Of course he wasn’t coaching me.
A comprehensive win for Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-1 against Bernarda Pera. The big-hitting Jelena Ostapenko looks to be thwacking and whacking her way to a come-from-behind victory, leading Taylor Townsend 3-1 in the final set. Eugenie Bouchard, the fallen Wimbledon runner-up of 2014, is out, losing 6-4, 6-3 to the 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova, who’s through to the third round of a slam for the first time.
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“It’s different [playing Paire],” says a dripping Federer. DRIPPING Federer. “I don’t mind it so much. He makes you second guess yourself sometimes, so it’s important to stay focused. I didn’t think it was a major difference from day to night. I’m sweating a lot right now. I’m happy to be in the third round [against Kyrgios]. We’ve had some brutal matches over the years. He’s got one of the best serves in the game and he’s super-talented, he’s a nice guy off the court. I’m looking forward to the game.”
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Federer defeats Paire 7-5, 6-4, 6-4!
Paire holds, leaving Federer to serve this out. Not the best of starts for Federer, as his effort flies so long it probably landed in Flushing Bay. 0-15. 15-30. 30-all. Anna Wintour nods approvingly from Federer’s box. 40-30. Match point. Federer serves deep to Paire’s backhand, which the Frenchman wallops wide! Federer takes the applause of the adoring crowd, before sitting down in his chair and wiping himself down with his towel. He does sweat after all!
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Third set: Federer 7-5, 6-4, 5-3 Paire* (*denotes next server)
Paire holds and struts back to his chair. The Frenchman’s entertaining to watch, that’s for sure, but there’s often more style than substance. Unlike Federer, who has both style and substance. The champion of ‘04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07 and ‘08 charges to 40-0, Paire goes for broke on the return and that’s Federer’s game. Paire must hold to extend this second-round match.
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Third set: Federer 7-5, 6-4, 4-2 Paire* (*denotes next server)
Paire has beaten himself here and gives up serve with next to no fight. He’s in conversation with the umpire at the changeover, seemingly unhappy with his rackets. The umpire is on the phone, presumably asking for some new ones, but whether they arrive before this match is over is unlikely. Having said that, Federer’s concentration dips and it’s 0-30 on his serve. Which quickly becomes 15-40, two break points. Paire is rolling his eyes after failing to make Federer’s drop-shot, and he’s screaming at the skies when he nets a forehand. Deuce. He’s then milking the applause after securing a third break point. The Frenchman finishes the game with a second consecutive winner from the net and there’s one of the breaks back.
Third set: Federer 7-5, 6-4, 3-1 Paire* (*denotes next server)
Back on Ashe, Paire is a little bored of the tennis and decides to show off his football skills, catching the ball on his foot with the perfect touch. Perhaps the Frenchman should stick with the football, because a double fault then follows, gifting Federer the break for 2-1. Paire isn’t moving too well, and Federer takes advantage with a drop-shot, which Paire gets back with a tweener, but Federer volleys into the open court. Game Federer.
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Madison Keys, last year’s runner-up, appears to have put her Wimbledon horror show behind her and is cruising at 6-4, 4-1 in her all-American clash with Bernarda Pera. A third American, Taylor Townsend, is being pegged back by Jelena Ostapenko, who’s determined to show she’s not a one-slam wonder after her surprise French Open win last year. Townsend took the first set 6-4, Ostapenko leads 5-2 in the second. And Eugenie Bouchard, who came through qualifying with her lawsuit against the USTA behind her, has her work cut out to advance any further. The Canadian trails the Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 2-0.
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A victory for the little guy. Diego Schwartzman is through, 6-2, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 against Spain’s Jaume Munar. This is a great photo of Schwartzman and John Isner from the other day, in case you missed it:
Pic of the day: Schwartzman and Isner! 😂 pic.twitter.com/228NoWOYJ0
— Troll Tennis (@TrollTennis) August 28, 2018
Talking of Kyrgios, the Mohamed Lahyani debate continues:
I am racking my brain to think of a situation requiring a chair umpire to speak like that to one player.
— Richard Ings (@ringsau) August 30, 2018
I umpired thousands of matches
I was ATP head of officiating
I can’t think of one. https://t.co/mq4bbfkVUz
Federer wins the second set 6-4
Paire is lying prone after the third point, which Federer wins for 30-15. The Swiss is two points away from a two sets to love lead. Make that one when Paire lobs long, a point set up by Federer’s pinpoint second serve. 40-15. Federer hits an ace out wide. Paire – with nothing to lose at this stage – wants it confirmed by Hawk-Eye. It clipped the line. A tidier set from Federer, 12 winners to eight unforced errors, and he’s a set from a third-round meeting with Nick Kyrgios.
Second set: *Federer 7-5, 5-4 Paire (*denotes next server)
Thanks Michael. I don’t pick the baton up quickly enough because Federer’s already held. It’s 5-3. Paire’s also speeding through his serve at 30-0, but a tame slice combined with a punishing return and it’s 30-all. Federer would love to break here, as he’d then be serving first in the fourth set. The pair draw several oohs and aahs from the crowd as they try to out-fox each other in an absorbing rally. This is the kind of exchange that shows Paire at his best; it’s almost as though the mundane stuff doesn’t interest him. But Federer prevails. Set point. But Paire shows resolve – something he’s not consistently done during this match – to take three points on the spin.
Katy is back from her break. I’ll hand back to her! Enjoy!
Second set: *Federer 7-5, 4-3 Paire (*denotes next server)
Paire is fully losing it now. He actually got himself to break point on Federer’s serve but the temper got the better of him and Federer eked out the game. Paire smashes his racket on the ground in frustration, the bottom of it popping off, but chooses not to change it. Weird, as it almost certainly has a crack in it. Right now, everything looks as though he DNGAF – tortured facial expressions to his coach, body language slumped. He’s playing his next service game with reckless abandon. One minute there is a clean winner – all or nothing shots – the next a double fault. It’s like he doesn’t want to be out on the biggest court in the world playing arguably the sport’s greatest ever player. Miraculously, in part due to a rare missed volley for Federer, Paire holds his serve. He’s still a break down.
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Ooooooo, you’re hard.
Haha IRONIC coming from someone who gets on court coaching every week of the year and also out of the US Open 😅🤣 https://t.co/hvlwPyRcSc
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 30, 2018
Second set: *Federer 7-5, 3-2 Paire (*denotes next server)
Paire seems to be losing his bottle a little bit. Three times he comes up short, a poor backhand allows Federer back into the ralley, next a complete air-shot gifts Federer another point. Paire puffs out his cheek, his temper is simmering. Next Federer rips a shot down the line to beat Paire at the net – the Frenchman smashes a ball into the ground and gets a warning from the umpire. He’s fully lost it now, and the inevitable double fault follows to give Federer the break. Foot on the throat stuff now, you would think from the elegant Swiss.
Home favourite Madison Keys is up and running against Bernarda Pera. It’s on serve on Louis Armstrong Stadium – Keys 4-3 up, with the ninth game at deuce.
Second set: *Federer 7-5, 0-1 Paire (*denotes next server)
Despite showing a bit of dissent at the back end of that first set – he dropped his racket, threatened to kick it on the ground, but pulled out – Paire is back on track in the second set, holding serve – a game which had one of the most outrageous backhand drop shot volleys you will ever see. He’s erratic but you can’t say the Frenchman doesn’t have talent.
Roger Federer wins the first set against Benoît Paire 7-5
Federer wins it to love, too. Suddenly when Federer sensed weakness, his confidence suddenly rose and the Swiss started owning the court like his normal self. It’s a weird set though from Federer, more unforced errors (14) than winners (13).
First set: *Federer 6-5 Paire (*denotes next server)
Federer breaks! Some nervy moments as the score gets to 30-30 before Paire appears to lose the grip on his racket and his serve wildly squirts wide. At break point, Federer is ruthless, batting a forehand winner down the line to take the game. After an inconsistent set, Federer will serve for it. Interestingly, Paire’s trainer was wrapping the grip of another racket during the first set, almost as though he knew the grip was about to fail Paire. Perhaps it is the humidity.
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Caroline Garcia beats Monica Puig 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
The sixth seed, who beat Johanna Konta in the first round here, lost to the reigning Olympic champion a couple of weeks ago at the Connecticut Open in New Haven but was in full flight in the first set – just three unforced errors for Garcia. It was a tight match in the end and the French player looks absolutely delighted with her win. She’ll play Kristina Mladenovic or No 30 seed Carla Suárez Navarro in the next round.
Caroline Garcia serves on her way to beating Monica Puig. Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images
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First set: Federer 5-5 Paire* (*denotes next server)
Things are going slightly askew for Federer on Ashe. He’s now serving to stay in the set and is slightly distracted on the second point as people slowly take their seats. A deep backhand clips the line for a 30-15 lead, but Paire responds with a big forehand winner. 30-30! Ah, false alarm. An ace out wide and a delicate drop shot does the business for the Swiss. An enthralling end to this first set.
Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev has dispatched Nicolas Mahut in straight sets. I’m hearing that Zverev averaged 134mph on his first serve. AVERAGED. A 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win, the Lendl effect continues to take hold.
Hi everyone. As the baton is passed across the desk at Guardian Towers, Paire has held serve and is pushing Federer on his own – a loose Federer shot gifts Paire a break point and the Frenchman makes no mistake! We are back on serve on Ashe! 4-4, with Paire to serve.
I’m off for a quick break, so Michael Butler will pick up in the first set between Federer and Paire. See you in a bit ...
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Kyrgios beats Herbert 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-0
Stepping away from Arthur Ashe, Nick Kyrgios brings up three match points on Court 17. Having emerged from his early-match funk, it’s 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 5-0. A huge serve and Herbert isn’t going to get that back into play. It’s a fourth-set whitewash. If ever there was a match of two halves. But we wait to see what the fallout will be from Mohamed Lahyani’s intervention. “He was just concerned about how I was,” says Kyrgios of the umpire to the on-court interviewer. “He said: ‘Nick, are you OK?’ It’s always fun playing Roger, he’s focusing on his current match, but I’m going to go out there and compete my arse off.”
After that bizarre pep talk from Mo Lahyani, Nick Kyrgios wins 19 of the remaining 25 games to beat Pierre-Hugues Herbet in four sets.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 30, 2018
Really, one of the odder things I've seen in my years in tennis. #USOpen
Elsewhere, Alex Zverev has sealed a straightforward, straight-sets win against Nicolas Mahut, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, John Millman has completed a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Fabio Fognini, Caroline Garcia, the sixth seed, has defeated Monica Puig 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 and Belgium’s Kiki Bertens, who claimed the biggest title of her career in Cincinnati recently, has dominated the American Francesca Di Lorenzo 6-2, 6-1.
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First set: *Federer 3-2 Paire (*denotes next server)
Federer holds to love. Questions were asked of the Swiss after his strangely subdued defeat against Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati final, when he seemed off the pace and somewhat weary, but it’s been a quick start to this US Open for the world No 2. He dismissed Yoshihito Nishioka in straight sets in the first round and he’s got two early break points here at 15-40. Some fine work from Federer and he takes it on the first.
First set: *Federer 1-2 Paire (*denotes next server)
Paire, cap on and with his collar up Cantona-style, opens proceedings. It’s a drama-free opening game from the Frenchman, who moves to 40-15 before taking it when Federer nets. Then RF, still minus his RF logo following his switch to Uniqlo and copyright battle with Nike, gets to 40-15 on his own serve. He concedes another point for 40-30 but a forehand winner secures the game. Paire replies with another smooth hold.
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Federer’s here, as is the very bearded Paire. Federer barely smiles as he steps on to court. Perhaps he’s a bit miffed at losing his nighttime slot to Novak Djokovic.
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Kerber’s win means that Federer will be strolling on to Arthur Ashe very shortly. The five-time champion, who dominated the tournament between 2004-08 but hasn’t won the title since, faces the flashy Frenchman Benoit Paire. This is a match between two entertainers and shot makers, though of course one is far more celebrated than the other. Paire is a great athlete and has superb touch but he can combust. The evidence:
$16,500 fine 😳@BenoitPaire had an epic meltdown at @CitiOpen.
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 1, 2018
WATCH ⬇️ #CO50 #CitiOpen pic.twitter.com/DRQIluyTE5
While we’re at it, here are five of the best tennis meltdowns:
As for Kyrgios ... he’s managed to keep hold of that break in the third set, closing it out for a two sets to one lead over Herbert, 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3. Whatever happens from here, the story after the match will be that second-set pep talk he received from the umpire.
Alex Zverev is now two sets to the good against Nicolas Mahut, 6-4, 6-4. The man who could be king made a statement in the opening round, losing only five games, and he’s looking in good touch again today. It’s 4-4 in the decider between Caroline Garcia and Monica Puig, John Millman has the look of a winner on Court 5, where he leads Fabio Fognini 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 4-1, while the diminutive Diego Schwartzman, a quarter-finalist last year, isn’t giving Jaume Munar a look-in. Schwartzman leads 6-2, 6-0, 2-1.
Kerber beats Larsson 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
A huge cheer from the spectators when Kerber battles back to 30. They want to see Roger. And they may get their wish. It’s 40-30, match point. The pair exchange cross-court efforts before manoeuvering each other around and Kerber comes out on top in a gruelling exchange. The 2016 champion does what she should have done an hour ago, booking her place in the third round, where she’ll meet Dominika Cibulkova, also a 6-4 winner in the final set after three hours and 19 minutes. “We played a really high level,” says a very relieved Kerber. Today’s fight could strengthen her for the challenges ahead.
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Kerber is still sweating and scrapping on Arthur Ashe, where she’s broken and been broken back twice in the decider. It’s 4-4. With the court half in the shade and half in the sun, Kerber rolls her sleeves up and gets back to work for another break, and the left-hander just squeezes a forehand down the line for 15-40. Larsson double faults and for the third time in this match – and the first time in this set – Kerber will serve for the match. It’s 6-2, 5-7, 5-4.
Mikhail Kukushkin awaits the winner, after defeating Hyeon Chung – who’s had all sorts of injury problems this year – 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-3.
A fairly uneventful start to the third set on Court 17, which is not a sentence often written about Kyrgios. It’s going with serve, Kyrgios 4-6, 7-6 (6), 2-1. He then grabs a break point but, after a long exchange, Kyrgios clatters into the net. Deuce. Advantage Kyrgios, as he threads a backhand winner down the line. Herbert makes the error and Kyrgios, with his game face on at the moment, has the break for 3-1. A quickfire hold of serve and that’s 4-1.
Kyrgios won the second set after a pep talk from the chair umpire Mo Lahyani.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 30, 2018
A USTA rep told me it is already looking into Lahyani's conduct in this match.
Absurd scenes. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/6qTMaoqPQd
Around the grounds. Kerber, having waved the white flag in the second set, is a break up, 2-1, in the decider against Larsson. Alex Zverev, under the watchful eye of Ivan Lendl, is going nicely against Nicolas Mahut, leading 6-4, 3-1. Caroline Garcia, who outclassed Britain’s Johanna Konta in the first round, is into a third set against the Olympic champion Monica Puig. Fabio Fognini is two sets to one down against John Millman, while Dominika Cibulkova and Hsieh Su-wei are still going after three hours, locked at 3-all in the finale.
... a fizzing return from Kyrgios creates another set point, 7-6. Herbert clunks into the net! Kyrgios takes the tie-break 8-6 and is right back in this match - thanks in no small part to the umpire’s encouragement.
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The balls are back on Krygios’s racket with the Australian serving at 5-4 down. A strong serve is backed up with a brilliant forehand and a calm overhead. 5-5. Kyrgios should really finish off Herbert with a one-two punch on the next point but it’s too nonchalant. Kyrgios still comes through but it takes longer than it should have. 6-5, set point Kyrgios on Herbert’s serve. Kyrgios doesn’t come close to getting his return back, so it’s 6-6 as they change ends once more ...
It’s tie-break time on Court 17, where Kyrgios has pulled his finger out from 4-1 down in the second set. But a 12th double fault of the day gives Herbert the first mini-break in the breaker for 2-1. Herbert hoiks long and they’re back on serve. It’s 3-3 as they change ends ...
Kerber, from 5-2 up in the second set against Larsson, has surrendered it 7-5. Which means Roger Federer will spend another set in the locker room. The GOAT may be displeased to be made to wait. Or he may be happy to avoid the early afternoon heat.
Amazon Prime is still showing Fognini v Millman on its Outside Courts channel rather than Kyrgios v Herbert. Gah! Kyrgios may be a frustrating so-and-so but there’s always a strange compulsion to watch him. Hurrah. Amazon finally sees sense, switching to Court 17 as Herbert serves for a two sets to love lead at 6-4, 5-3. Kyrgios suddenly decides he’s in the mood to break back and is clenching his fist after doing just that. The Australian gets another pep talk from the umpire at the changeover. Mohamed Lahyani seems to be suggesting that Kyrgios needs to try harder. Truly bizarre. Lahyani clearly has good intentions but is it his job to be encouraging Kyrgios?
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Take two for Kerber, as she serves for a place in the third round for the second time ... but again she’s broken. It’s now Kerber 6-2, 5-5 Larsson.
The tweets about Kyrgios just keep on coming:
No doubt that Kyrgios is entertainment, calls trainer, tells him there's nothing wrong, asks him to check his wrist, then pats him on the back, saying "Thanks mate". Trainer leaves, trying not to smile too broadly
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) August 30, 2018
Surreal exchange:
— Daniel Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) August 30, 2018
Heckler tells Kyrgios “just leave, we want Genie” Bouchard, who’s up next on Court 17.
Kyrgios responds: “Well, you’ll never have her.”
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Confirmation, as expected, that the 30th instalment of Serena v Venus will be the first night match tomorrow, followed by Juan Martin del Potro against Andy Murray sorry Fernando Verdasco.
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A rare show of frustration from Kerber. It does the job as Larsson loops long, giving Kerber a match point at her advantage. Larsson calmly dinks the drop-shot over the net. Gutsy to try it at this stage. Deuce. Another deuce. Yet another deuce. And from here Larsson holds. Kerber will serve for the match again at 6-2, 5-4.
Kyrgios is carrying on but is now 6-4, 4-1 down.
Kerber is serving for the match at 6-2, 5-2. Perhaps the German is a bit bored at how easy it’s been and wants a bit of drama because she slides break point down. And then another. Larsson breaks and this contest will continue for a little longer than expected.
Umpire Mohamed Lahyani gets out of his chair to speak to Nick Kyrgios, telling him "I'm trying to help you". Understand the sentiment but not sure that is the umpire's job? Kyrgios says "I'm not feeling it." Calls the trainer for the next change of ends.
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) August 30, 2018
Couldn't hear most of it but it ended with Kyrgios saying: "I'll just call the trainer and retire." Trainer called for the next change of ends.
— Eleanor Crooks (@EleanorcrooksPA) August 30, 2018
It’s one of those performances from Nick Kyrgios so far, who’s hit nine double faults in his first six service games to trail France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 2-0. This match isn’t on Amazon Prime so it’s hard to comment on further, so we’ll have to take these indicators from Twitter:
Kyrgios is serving at times when the shot clock hasn’t even started counting down, haha #USOpen pic.twitter.com/8axR6yumKK
— Calum McConnell (@cmcconnell14) August 30, 2018
Nick Kyrgios seems busy doing everything he can to avoid a third-round clash with Roger Federer
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) August 30, 2018
Angelique Kerber is showing tremendous German efficiency on Arthur Ashe. She’s conceded only three games en route to a 6-2, 4-2 lead over Sweden’s Johanna Larsson. Roger Federer will be on when this finishes.
Kvitova-Sabalenka in R3 is fire emoji.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 30, 2018
Kvitova’s third-round opponent will be Aryna Sabalenka, because the Belarusian, who won in Newhaven last week, has ended Vera Zvonareva’s US Open return with a 6-3, 7-6 (7) win.
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Kvitova defeats Wang 7-5, 6-3
Petra Kvitova is preparing to say goodbye to Wang Yafan. She leads 7-5, 5-3, and she’s in the mood to finish this off on Wang’s serve. 30-40, a first match point. Some Hawk-Eye drama plays out. Deuce. Followed by a second match point. Kvitova biffs a backhand down the line and the two-time Wimbledon champion is through! Although it wasn’t easy. “She played an incredible match today,” says Kvitova. “There was a moment where I lost myself in the first set but I fought back pretty well.”
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Daria Kasatkina, having served for the second set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, is out, losing 6-2, 7-6 (3). So the 21-year-old Russian is unable to build on her quarter-final showings at the French Open and Wimbledon. For Sasnovich, it’s another notable win, after her victory over Belinda Bencic in the opening round. The Ukrainian will play Naomi Osaka next.
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The day’s play is now under way on Arthur Ashe and Court 5. On Ashe, it’s the Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, who’s having a wunderbar year after her season to forget in 2017. The fourth seed’s already bagged the break, and it’s 4-2. On Court 5, Fabio Fognini, who exited this tournament under a cloud last year when he verbally abused an umpire, has lost the first set in the blink of an eye, 6-1, to Australia’s John Millman. A swift defeat may be no less than his outfit deserves.
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The resourceful Daria Kasatkina has realised that Plan A and Plan B weren’t working so she’s on to Plan C and is about to serve to level her match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, leading 5-4 in the second set. Hyeon Chung, a big talent who reached the Australian Open semi-finals but has had an injury-hit season since, has lost out in a first-set tie-break to Russia’s Mikhail Kukushkin. Vera Zvonareva’s a set down to Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, while Dominika Cibulkova, who was on the warpath at Wimbledon after losing her seeding position to Serena Williams, is striding through the opening tie-break against Hsieh Su-wei, leading by five points to two.
Osaka’s win means the Nick Kyrgios show will be commencing shortly on Court 17. Consider this your 10-minute warning. Kyrgios is one of five Australians to feature in the singles today – the others are De Minaur, Ebden, Millman and Tomljanovic – but that’s nothing compared to the French, who are staging something of a revolution with no fewer than nine players in action: Paire, Gasquet, Monfils, Garcia, Mladenovic. Benneteau, Mahut, Pouille and Herbert. And it’s Herbert who’s up against Kyrgios.
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Naomi Osaka hasn’t had too much to shout about since winning Indian Wells earlier this year but, back on the hard courts, the 20-year-old can be a real danger. She’s the first player to put a W by her name today, allowing Ukraine’s Julia Glushko only two games in a 6-2, 6-0 rout.
That leaves the fifth seed serving for the set but again it’s a mixed bag. A wild drive volley and double fault is followed by an ace. 30-all. Wang then goes long and Kvitova has set point. Wang finds the corner with a forehand cross-court winner! Deuce. A nervous smash from Kvitova but she gets another chance to finish off the rally and here’s a second set point. Double fault! Deuce. A third set point. Kvitova miscues with her forehand! Deuce. A fourth set point. Deuce. A fifth set point. The game and set finally come to a close when Wang whacks out. Kvitova roars from the depths of her being. She’s extremely relieved. She’s taken the set 7-5.
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There’s been some turnaround on Louis Armstrong, where Petra Kvitova, having led 4-1, is powerless to stop Wang rattling off four games on the spin as the scoreboard tips in the world No 90’s favour for the first time. But from 5-4 down there’s another momentum shift as Kvitova climbs 6-5 up.
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A result from yesterday that perhaps didn’t get the attention it deserved, given it happened after 1am, was the surprise defeat of the former Wimbledon and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza to the Czech qualifier Karolina Muchova. It’s Muguruza’s second consecutive second-round defeat at a grand slam. Does it represent a couple of poor results or something more significant? Muguruza has always been a streaky player, as capable of winning slams as losing in the early rounds, but Daniela Hantuchova had some interesting thoughts on Amazon Prime a little earlier. The former world No 5, who was worryingly thin at times during her playing days, reckons Muguruza has lost too much weight and perhaps has been taking her eye off tennis and focusing on the media side a little too much. “I saw her for the first time in a while on the practice courts and I was shocked,” Hantuchova said.
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Kasatkina still can’t figure out the best approach to this match. Serving at 5-2 down, the Russian’s facing a third set point. Sasnovich smacks the winner and that’s that. But Sasnovich isn’t the first player to get a set on the board today; Naomi Osaka just beat her to it, taking the opening set also 6-2 against Ukraine’s Julia Glushko.
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Kvitova is still going strong on Louis Armstrong and has the double break for 4-1. When her game is on she makes it seem so easy. Over on Grandstand, however, the 11th seed Daria Kasatkina is in early trouble, 5-2 down to Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus. The 21-year-old Kasatkina has such huge variety to her game, it sometimes takes her a few games to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
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Weather watch. Federer will be pleased to hear it won’t be quite as hot as yesterday. But it’s still hot enough for the heat policy to be in effect for the third day in a row. Temperatures are forecast to reach around 33C.
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Kvitova has been in fine form away from the grand slams this year, winning five titles, but she’s struggled in the majors, admitting the nerves have got to her. But she’s looking sharp early on against the New York-based Wang Yafan of China, breaking in the opening game. The second game isn’t quite so straightforward, with the Czech having to recover from 0-40 down to back up the break. It’s 2-0.
And they’re off ...! Among the early runners and riders: the two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the bright young things Hyeon Chung, Daria Kasatkina and Naomi Osaka, plus Dominika Cibulkova and Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 finalist who came through qualifying and is making her first main-draw appearance since 2011 after giving birth to her daughter a couple of years ago. The Russian is one of seven mothers who started in the draw.
Some pre-match reading.
Before we focus on today’s proceedings, there are a couple of talking points from yesterday, because there were strong words from Andy Murray and Alize Cornet.
Murray was less than impressed after his loss to Fernando Verdasco, accusing the Spaniard of talking to his coach during the heat break and then lying about it. After Verdasco said: “I don’t want to say that Andy lied but I didn’t talk one word with my coach,” Murray wrote on Instagram: “I’m off to get a health check as apparently I’ve started imagining things. #liarliarpantsonfire.” So it doesn’t look like Murray’s lost any of his competitiveness despite his year off tour ...
As for Cornet, she took aim not at the US Open after her code violation for taking her shirt off on court, but at the French federation president following the decision to ban Serena Williams from wearing a catsuit at future French Opens, despite Williams saying it helped protect her against blood clots. “Bernard Giudicelli lives in another time,” Cornet said. “What he said about Serena’s catsuit was 10,000 times worse than what happened to me on the court on Tuesday, because he’s the president of the French federation and because he doesn’t have to do that. These kind of comments are totally shocking for me.”
Thursday's order of play
Courts start at 11am ET/4pm BST unless stated
Arthur Ashe Stadium (12pm ET/5pm BST) Johanna Larsson (Swe) v (4) Angelique Kerber (Ger), Benoit Paire (Fra) v (2) Roger Federer (Swi), (6) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v Tennys Sandgren (USA), (22) Maria Sharapova (Rus) v Sorana Cirstea (Rom)
Louis Armstrong Stadium (5) Petra Kvitova (Cze) v Yafan Wang (Chn), Nicolas Mahut (Fra) v (4) Alexander Zverev (Ger), (14) Madison Keys (USA) v Bernarda Pera (USA), Gael Monfils (Fra) v (21) Kei Nishikori (Jpn), Lesia Tsurenko (Ukr) v (2) Caroline Wozniacki (Den)
Grandstand Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr) v (11) Daria Kasatkina (Rus), (6) Caroline Garcia (Fra) v Monica Puig (Pur), (17) Lucas Pouille (Fra) v Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp), (7) Marin Cilic (Cro) v Hubert Hurkacz (Pol)
Court 4 (16) Miyu Kato (Jpn) & Makoto Ninomiya (Jpn) v Naomi Broady (Gbr) & Danielle Collins (USA), Marcelo Arevalo (Esa) & Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela (Mex) v (2) Henri Kontinen (Fin) & John Peers (Aus), Zarina Diyas (Kaz) & Saisai Zheng (Chn) v Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) & Lucie Safarova (Cze), Qiang Wang (Chn) & Yafan Wang (Chn) v (13) Ashleigh Barty (Aus) & Coco Vandeweghe (USA), Natela Dzalamidze (Rus) & Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) v (15) Irina-Camelia Begu (Rom) & Monica Niculescu (Rom)
Court 5 (14) Fabio Fognini (Ita) v John Millman (Aus), Taylor Townsend (USA) v (10) Jelena Ostapenko (Lat), Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) v (30) Carla Suarez Navarro (Spa), Laslo Djere (Ser) v (26) Richard Gasquet (Fra)
Court 6 (16) Dominic Inglot (Gbr) & Franko Skugor (Cro) v Robert Lindstedt (Swe) & Rajeev Ram (USA), Victoria Azarenka (Blr) & Latisha Chan (Tpe) v Ana Bogdan (Rom) & Yulia Putintseva (Kaz), Alexa Guarachi (Chi) & Vera Lapko (Blr) v Nicole Gibbs (USA) & Sabrina Santamaria (USA), Vitalia Diatchenko (Rus) & Margarita Gasparyan (Rus) v Sofia Kenin (USA) & Sachia Vickery (USA), Taylor Townsend (USA) & Donald Young (USA) v Nadiia Kichenok (Ukr) & Wesley Koolhof (Ned)
Court 7 Divij Sharan (Ind) & Artem Sitak (Nzl) v Martin Redlicki (USA) & Evan Zhu (USA), Olga Savchuk (Ukr) & Elina Svitolina (Ukr) v Viktoria Kuzmova (Svk) & Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk), Joao Sousa (Por) v (12) Pablo Carreno-Busta (Spa), Vasek Pospisil (Can) & Fernando Verdasco (Spa) v (7) Lukasz Kubot (Pol) & Marcelo Melo (Bra)
Court 8 Frederik Nielsen (Den) & Joe Salisbury (Gbr) v (13) Julio Peralta (Chi) & Horacio Zeballos (Arg), (3) Andrea Sestini Hlavackova (Cze) & Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Cze) v Alexandra Kiick (USA) & Jamie Loeb (USA), Jeremy Chardy (Fra) & Fabrice Martin (Fra) v James Cerretani (USA) & Leander Paes (Ind), Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spa) & Marcelo Demoliner (Bra) v (5) Andrea Sestini Hlavackova (Cze) & Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra), (7) Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) & Michael Venus (Nzl) v Laura Siegemund (Ger) & Rohan Bopanna (Ind)
Court 9 Evan King (USA) & Nathan Pasha (USA) v Roman Jebavy (Cze) & Andres Molteni (Arg), Raquel Atawo (USA) & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pak) v Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Ger) & Santiago Gonzalez (Mex), Steve Johnson (USA) & Denis Kudla (USA) v Kevin King (USA) & Reilly Opelka (USA), Kveta Peschke (Cze) & Rajeev Ram (USA) v Lara Arruabarrena (Spa) & Marc Lopez (Spa), (9) Kiki Bertens (Ned) & Johanna Larsson (Swe) v Kaia Kanepi (Est) & Andrea Petkovic (Ger)
Court 10 Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) v (23) Hyeon Chung (Kor), (13) Kiki Bertens (Ned) v Francesca Di Lorenzo (USA), Robin Haase (Ned) v (10) David Goffin (Bel), Katerina Siniakova (Cze) v Ajla Tomljanovic (Aus)
Court 11 (29) Dominika Cibulkova (Svk) v Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe), Julien Benneteau (Fra) v Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger), (11) Vania King (USA) & Katarina Srebotnik (Slo) v Nina Stojanovic (Ser) & Fanny Stollar (Hun), (1) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Mate Pavic (Cro) v Jamie Loeb (USA) & Noah Rubin (USA), Matteo Berrettini (Ita) & Andreas Seppi (Ita) v (12) Ben McLachlan (Jpn) & Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger)
Court 12 Lara Arruabarrena (Spa) & Renata Voracova (Cze) v (4) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Yi Fan Xu (Chn), Matthew Ebden (Aus) v Philipp Kohlschreiber (Ger), (4) Jamie Murray (Gbr) & Bruno Soares (Bra) v Guido Pella (Arg) & Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spa), Cori Gauff (USA) & Christopher Eubanks (USA) v (3) Hao-Ching Chan (Tpe) & Henri Kontinen (Fin)
Court 13 Vera Zvonareva (Rus) v (26) Aryna Sabalenka (Blr), (13) Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (Arg) v Jaume Munar (Spa), Aleksandra Krunic (Ser) v Kirsten Flipkens (Bel), Daniele Bracciali (Ita) & Marco Cecchinato (Ita) v (3) Mike Bryan (USA) & Jack Sock (USA)
Court 14 (5) Andreja Klepac (Slo) & Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spa) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Rus) & Anastasija Sevastova (Lat), Daria Gavrilova (Aus) & Petra Martic (Cro) v (7) Elise Mertens (Bel) & Demi Schuurs (Ned), Maximo Gonzalez (Arg) & Nicolas Jarry (Chi) v David Marrero (Spa) & Marcin Matkowski (Pol), (6) Demi Schuurs (Ned) & Matwe Middelkoop (Ned) v Shuai Zhang (Chn) & John Peers (Aus), Cameron Norrie (Gbr) & Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (Arg) v Dusan Lajovic (Ser) & Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre)
Court 15 (5) Juan Sebastian Cabal (Col) & Robert Farah (Col) v Denis Istomin (Uzb) & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (Ind), Xinyun Han (Chn) & Raluca Olaru (Rom) v Tatjana Maria (Ger) & Heather Watson (Gbr), (6) Lucie Hradecka (Cze) & Ekaterina Makarova (Rus) v Kaitlyn Christian (USA) & Rebecca Peterson (Swe), Raluca Olaru (Rom) & Franko Skugor (Cro) v Danielle Collins (USA) & Tom Fawcett (USA)
Court 17 (20) Naomi Osaka (Jpn) v Julia Glushko (Isr), (30) Nick Kyrgios (Aus) v Pierre-Hugues Herbert (Fra), Eugenie Bouchard (Can) v Marketa Vondrousova (Cze), Alex De Minaur (Aus) v Frances Tiafoe (USA)
Preamble
Roger Federer loves perfection but it’s been an imperfect couple of months for the GOAT. First there was the Wimbledon quarter-final defeat, where he’d been putting on an exhibition against Kevin Anderson before losing from two sets to love and match point up. Then there was Cincinnati, where he was outclassed and outmoved by Novak Djokovic in the final, leading some to question the 37-year-old’s confidence and suggest his extraordinary revival over the past two years may be starting take its toll on his energy levels. And now there is this. Because instead of being given a second consecutive night match as both Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal were yesterday, he’s going to have to mix with the commoners on tour and play in the hottest part of the day session this afternoon. The indignity! Who knows, the man who does not perspire may even sweat.
Federer is one of four former US Open champions in action on Arthur Ashe today. He follows the 2016 winner and current Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber against Sweden’s Johanna Larsson, whose match in the first round hit the headlines because of the Alize Cornet shirt-changing row. Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova play in the night session, with Djokovic facing the American Tennys Sandgren and Sharapova, the champion of 12 years ago who has been far from grand-slam winning form this year, taking on Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
Over on Louis Armstrong, Caroline Wozniacki will be sipping imaginary margaritas later, but not before Petra Kvitova, Alex Zverev, Madison Keys, Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori all play. Monfils and Nishikori face each other in one of the standout matches of the second round, while the battle of the young guns between the 19-year-old Australian Alex De Minaur and the 20-year-old American Frances Tiafoe could be tasty too. And there’s also the 2014 champion Marin Cilic, Nick Kyrgios, Jelena Ostapenko, Caroline Garcia and Naomi Osaka to throw into the day four mix. Enjoy!
