Novak Djokovic into US Open fourth round by beating Jan-Lennard Struff
- Published
Novak Djokovic has won the US Open on three occasions
2020 US Open |
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Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 31 Aug-13 Sept |
Coverage: Selected live radio and text commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app. |
World number one Novak Djokovic moved comfortably into the US Open fourth round, beating Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets.
The 33-year-old Serb saw off the German 28th seed 6-3 6-3 6-1 in the night session on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic, seeking his 18th Grand Slam title, remains unbeaten in 2020 and has now extended his winning streak to 26.
But Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is out after blowing six match points against Borna Coric.
He was leading 5-1 in the fourth set but could not get over the line and Coric won six successive games to send the match into a deciding set which the Croatian won to complete a remarkable turnaround 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 4-6 7-5 7-6 (7-4).
The 27th seed, who triumphed after four hours and 36 minutes, will face Australian Jordan Thompson on Sunday as he seeks to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Thompson, 26, reached the fourth round of a major for the first time by beating Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 6-4 6-1.
Djokovic will play Spanish 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round in New York.
"It was a very good performance for my side and I managed to read his serve well," said Djokovic.
"The second and third sets was really a great feeling on the court."
Djokovic, who beat Britain's Kyle Edmund in four sets in the second round, had easily defeated Struff for the loss of just four games at last week's Western and Southern Open, which was also played at Flushing Meadows.
Struff was more competitive here for the first two sets but ultimately had no answer to Djokovic's relentless power and accuracy, with the Serb breaking to love in the fourth game of the third set before hurrying to the finish.
Remarkable comeback from Shapovalov, and Goffin through
Canadian 12th seed Denis Shapovalov produced a sensational fightback to knock out American 19th seed Taylor Fritz in five sets.
Shapovalov, 21, trailed two sets to one and was 5-2 down in the fourth before rallying to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam for only the second time in his career.
Next up for Shapovalov, who went to four sets in his opening two victories, is Belgian ninth seed David Goffin.
"Obviously I'm tired, it is impossible not to say that after a five-setter. But we've had such a long break so overall the body feels pretty fresh," said Shapovalov.
Goffin made lighter work than perhaps anticipated of in-form Serb 26th seed Filip Krajinovic in a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win.