The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Nishikori wins thriller; Jankovic in quarterfinals

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Nishikori wins thriller; Jankovic in quarterfinals

Nikolay Davydenko puts out Dmitry Tursunov, moves into fourth round

— Photo: AP

CREATING HISTORY: Kei Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach the fourth round at the U.S. Open after defeating Spain’s David Ferrer on Saturday.

NEW YORK: Second-ranked Jelena Jankovic moved closer to her first Grand Slam title and reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 triumph on Sunday over Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki at the U.S. Open.

The 23-year-old Serbian advanced to the quarterfinals of the year’s final major tennis tournament, rallying in blustery conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium to defeat a Danish 18-year-old who had won 10 of her past 11 matches.

“I had to really play a lot more aggressive than I did in the first set,” Jankovic said. “It was windy out there and if you just tried to put the ball in there it floats.

“She was stronger in the first set so I had to pick it up in the second set and especially in the third.”

Good chance

With top seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova already ousted, this is a prime chance for a Slam breakthrough by Jankovic, who can reclaim the top ranking if she reaches the semifinals.

Jankovic is among five players who could be number one after the Flushing Meadows fortnight, with Serena Williams, Russians Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina and Ivanovic still in the mix.

“It would be nice to come back to the number one spot,” Jankovic said. “It would be great if I can do it. We will see what happens.”

Jankovic was down a set and in a fight during the second before cracking the Danish teen on her third break-point chance of the sixth game for a 4-2 edge.

Jankovic, who beat Wozniacki in the third round at Wimbledon this year, broke again to finish the second set, once more in the fourth game of the third set to seize command and again for a 5-1 lead before serving out to advance.

“I’m getting better each day. I’m improving on my fitness,” Jankovic said.

“My mom told me I’m losing a little weight. I’m not actually losing weight. I’m just getting firmer.”

In the men’s section, fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko continued his smooth ride with a 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 third-round win over fellow Russian Dmitry Tursunov.

The 26th-seeded Tursunov stretched him to a tiebreak in the second but Davydenko won it 7-3. He claimed an early break in the third to go 3-1 ahead and closed it off efficiently.

Serving for the match at 5-3, the 27-year-old slugged it out from the baseline during the long rallies and kept up the pressure until Tursunov made the first error.

“I need to control the baseline which is what I did today,” Davydenko, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, said in a courtside interview.

Nadal advances

On Saturday, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal rolled into the fourth round, winning his final 11 games, while Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori pulled out a stunning upset to advance.

The Wimbledon and French Open champion, Nadal, raised his game when challenged, showing the form he needs to win his first U.S. Open crown in beating 71st-ranked Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 for his 41st triumph in 42 matches.

“I have started playing better,” the Spaniard said. “Today I served very well. I have more confidence and I hope to continue to improve my tennis. I know I have to keep improving my tennis if I want to win.”

Shocked

Nishikori shocked Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5 to become the first Japanese man to reach the fourth round of a U.S. Open.

“I’m very proud of that,” said Nishikori, who at 18 is the youngest man in the U.S. Open round of 16 since Marat Safin in 1998.

Ferrer denied Nishikori on a match point in the ninth game and broke back, then saved another match point in the 10th game before Nishikori blasted back-to-back forehand winners to end it after three hours and 32 minutes.

“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “I was playing great and he was playing great too.”

The only Japanese man to go deeper in a Grand Slam event was Shuzo Matsuoka, who reached the 1995 Wimbledon quarterfinals, but it will take another surprise for Nishikori to match him.

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