Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/373141
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2014 51 Sport TENNIS Djokovic cruises past Querrey Novak Djokovic continued to look the man to beat at the US Open as he cruised into the fourth round with a comfortable victory over American Sam Querrey DJOKOVIC, a finalist the last four years, winning it all in 2011, im- proved his record to perfect 8-0 when facing American opponents at Flushing Meadows. Querrey's exit leaves John Isner as the last American man stand- ing. He plays Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber later on Saturday. The winner of that match will take on Djokovic in the fourth round. Fifth seed Milos Raonic blasted his way into the fourth round with a 7-6(5) 7-6(5) 7-6(3) win over Victor Estrella Burgos on Satur- day, pounding 22 aces past the shellshocked Dominican. The big-hitting Canadian has used his booming serve to great effect at Flushing Meadows, par- ticularly in the tiebreaks, winning all six he has faced in three match- es including three against Burgos. Raonic, who reached the semi- finals at Wimbledon and is try- ing to become the first Canadian man to reach a grand slam final, had the Dominican almost under constant pressure but could only manage three breaks from 11 op- portunities. Next up for Raonic is 10th seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan who was a 6-4 6-2 6-3 winner over 23rd seed Leonardo Mayer of Argentina. Novak Djokovic Murray advances to fourth round with fourth-set win Andy Murray had another frustrating afternoon on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court but did enough to defeat Andrey Kuznetsov and reach the fourth round of the US Open THERE was not the same drama as there had been in round one, when he cramped against Robin Haase and might have lost, but Murray again found himself embroiled in a fight having appeared in total control against a player ranked 96th in the world. He at least finished the match rela- tively strongly, recovering from drop- ping the third set to clinch a 6-1 7-5 4-6 6-2 victory after two hours and 35 minutes. Much stiffer tests lie ahead though, with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga his likely next opponent, and Murray knows he will not be able to afford such lapses if he is to figure in the latter stages of the tournament. Murray, who had never played Kuznetsov before, said: "I got off to a good start, which obviously helped. I had a bit of a cushion when he started to get back into the match. "He played some good stuff at the end of the second and all the way through the third. I'm happy I stayed solid. It was tough. "I feel better than I did in the first match. Conditions are a little bit more pleasant. I made sure I ate properly and drank properly." Kuznetsov won the junior title at Wimbledon in 2009 but has taken time to make his mark in the senior game. He beat David Ferrer in the second round at Wimbledon and knocked out Fernando Verdasco at the same stage here. It was nowhere near as hot as it had been on Monday, with the cloud cover no doubt welcome for Murray, who again had his four-man fan club in residence. The first set was near perfect for the eighth seed, who served well and struck the ball with real zip. He then made the perfect start to the second set with another break, but the match was much tighter than it had earlier been and alarm bells began to ring when Murray double-faulted to be broken back in the eighth game. Murray looked frustrated and from 0-30 in the next game he lost four points in a row and the chance to re- establish his lead immediately. The 27-year-old has developed a bad habit this season of losing leads, but he did get the second break two games later and served it out. Despite getting over that line, Mur- ray had hit a slump, and it continued at the start of the third set. Kuznetsov exploited the situation to break for a 3-1 lead and memories of Murray's third-set calamity against Robin Haase in round one came flooding back. At least he appeared to be physically fine this time and, after battling to stop the rot with a hold in the sixth game, he broke to love to get back on track. However, the up-and-down form that has plagued his season was still very much in evidence and cost him dearly in the 10th game. Having lost a break point on a net cord in the previous game, two loose shots gave Kuznetsov two set points and Murray did not even make the Russian work for it, serving a double fault. Perhaps not surprisingly given his results, Murray appears to be lack- ing belief in the big moments, and he must have been furious with himself for being extended to four sets. He headed off for a bathroom break, a tactic that had helped him so much in his final win over Novak Djokovic here in 2012. And Murray was quickly ahead in the third set, breaking for 2-1 when Kuznetsov drilled a forehand over the baseline. The Russian was under real pres- sure and, although he saved two break points in the fifth game, one with a brilliant drop volley, he then threw in successive double faults to hand Murray what was to prove a match- winning advantage. Still it was not entirely straightfor- ward as Murray immediately surren- dered one of the breaks, but he got it back quickly and took his first match point with a reaction volley. San Michel Juniors Malta Open Tennis Championships THE San Michel Juniors Malta Tennis Open Championships are considered as the showcase for upcoming and established jun- ior tennis players in Malta. This Tournament is sanctioned by the Malta Tennis Federation and or- ganised by the Tennis Section of the Marsa Sports Club and played on its premises. The champion- ships are an annual event, during which players from the age of 10 to 18 will play for the singles and doubles championship titles. This year's edition will be held from the 6th to 13th September 2014. Application forms for the San Michel Juniors Malta Tennis Open Championships are avail- able from the reception at the Marsa Sports Club and other leading tennis clubs. Application form is also available on the www. marsasportsclub.com. Sharapova battles past Lisicki Maria Sharapova overcame Sabine Lisicki to set up a tasty fourth-round clash with Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open THERE was nothing pretty or straightforward about Sharapova's 6-2 6-4 victory, which took an hour and 41 minutes, but she was the tougher in the end under the lights on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. Lisicki had only won one of six previous meetings against Shara- pova, at Wimbledon in 2012, but her big game means she is always a danger. Last month the German hit a serve measured at 131mph, a world record for a woman. Her radar was off in her first service game, though, with two double faults proving very costly as Sharapova ground her way into a 3-0 lead. The Russian was coming under pressure in every service game but resisted impressively, and another Lisicki double fault eventually handed her the set. Lisicki is known for her attack- ing style but she showed tremen- dous powers of defence to move 3-1 ahead in the second set. However, Sharapova is the ulti- mate scrapper and she took advan- tage of a horrible drive volley from her opponent to level proceedings. The Russian had the momentum now and set up a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 but back came Lisicki, who was certainly playing at a much higher level now. The pair traded crunching fore- hands but in the end it was a fore- hand drilled just wide from Lisicki that handed Sharapova victory on her third match point. The fifth seed said: "She was a really tough opponent, a very ag- gressive big server. I just tried to concentrate on my return. I wasn't serving as well as I wanted to. "In the end it was a few points. I was happy I was able to break her." Sharapova added she was hoping for a "goodnight hug" from boy- friend Grigor Dimitrov, who won his second-round match earlier. Wozniacki has had an impressive summer and was very solid in a 6-3 6-2 victory over 18th seed Andrea Petkovic. "I think every match I get into a better groove out there and I'm playing better," said the Dane. "It's nice to be through to the fourth round again. "It's going to be another tough one, but I'm excited about it." Maria Sharapova