Stan Wawrinka survived searing heat and a spirited Ugo Humbert to reach the third round of the US Open on Wednesday as fellow former champion Andy Murray’s return ended in round two.
World No. 1 and defending champion Rafael Nadal steamed into the third round with a straight-set win over Vasek Pospisil. Nadal, spared the worst of the heat, thanks to his late-night start on Arthur Ashe Stadium, sped past Pospisil 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Swiss Wawrinka, unable to defend his 2016 Flushing Meadows title after undergoing two knee surgeries last year, said he wasn’t surprised at the challenge produced by the 139th-ranked Humbert, a left-hander who is playing his first Tour-level event this week after a dominant summer on the Challenger circuit.
Tough assignment
“I knew it would be a difficult match,” said Wawrinka, who was pleased to find himself feeling fit after prevailing 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours and 21 minutes. “My level is there. I’m playing really good tennis,” said Wawrinka who faces Canadian Milos Raonic for a place in the last 16.
Murray, the 2012 US Open winner, is still fighting to find full fitness after hip surgery in January. The Scot’s limp was noticeable at times as he fell 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, whose only win over Murray in 14 previous meetings came at the 2009 Australian Open.
Murray, who had a chance to take the first set, also had enough in the tank to force five break points in the final game of the fourth. But he was unable to convert any of them before Verdasco closed out the win on his third match point.
“I think with Andy it's always tough — not to close it just to play every point because he’s an unbelievable fighter,” Verdasco said. “Even with all the surgery and not 100% physically, he’s a fighter.”
Verdasco booked a third-round meeting with third-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro who beat American Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(4). For the second straight day, the players faced soaring heat and humidity.
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas said the heat took a mental as well as physical toll. “You don’t have fresh air to breathe — you breathe this heat that’s coming, the moisture that’s in the air. So you feel like you are empty,” said the 15th-seed, who was undone by 64 unforced errors in a 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss to Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Fifth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson, runner-up to Nadal last year, made quick work of France’s Jeremy Chardy, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
Bhambri falls
Yuki Bhambri once again failed to clear the first round hurdle of a Grand Slam, losing to Frenchman Pierre Hugues Herbert in straight sets. The World No. 96 lost 3-6, 6-7(3), 5-7 to Herbert in a match that lasted nearly two and half hours.
The India No. 1 did put up a fight in the second and third sets but that wasn’t enough to beat the World No. 75 who had earlier got the better of Bhambri during the Maharashtra Open.
Williams to meet
In the women’s section, Serena and Venus Williams set up a 30th career meeting. Six-time champion Serena eased past World No. 101 Carina Witthoeft of Germany 6-2, 6-2, riding on the back of 30 winners and 13 aces. Venus, the 2000 and 2001 champion, made the third round for the 17th time with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Camila Giorgi of Italy.
Defending champion and third seed Sloane Stephens also made the third round with a marathon 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over Ukraine qualifier Anhelina Kalinina.
Stephens, who triumphed after two hours and 46 minutes, will next face two-time Australian Open champion and former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka. The American needed treatment on a blistered right hand in the second set as the crushing effect of the heat and humidity took its toll.
However, the 10-minute heat-break between the second and third sets proved a timely boost. “I just sat on the floor, changed my outfit, had two bites of Sushi and a slushie,” said the 25-year-old Stephens after seeing off World No. 134 Kalinina.
Azarenka, the 2012 and 2013 runner-up, made the third round for the first time in three years with a 6-1, 6-2 win against Australian 25th seed Daria Gavrilova.
