Veteran Hewitt stuns Del Potro

agence france-presse
NEW YORK, 31 AUG: Australian warhorse Lleyton Hewitt battled to a stunning five-set US Open win over Argentine sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro on Friday, relegating Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic to supporting roles. The 2001 champion defeated the 2009 winner, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 in the tournament’s biggest shock to date. It was his 32nd career five-set victory and gave him a third round match-up with Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy, the world number 102.
Murray, the third seed and Wimbledon champion, survived his first scare of the US Open, beating Argentina’s world number 81 Leonardo Mayer, 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 and goes on to tackle Germany’s Florian Mayer for a last-16 spot.
Dangerous Czech fifth seed Tomas Berdych, who defeated Roger Federer on his way to the semi-finals last year, made the third round by seeing off America’s Denis Kudla 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. He next meets French 31st seed Julien Benneteau. World No. 4 David Ferrer battled past qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. After dropping the third set to the No. 172-ranked Kukushkin, Ferrer let slip a 4-1 double break lead in the fourth set. The Spaniard broke again for 5-4, and eventually closed out victory, saving one break point before prevailing in just under three hours. Ferrer will face No. 18 seed Janko Tipsarevic or home hope Jack Sock.
In the women’s event, world number one Serena Williams will have the chance to avenge her ouster from the Australian Open when she faces Sloane Stephens on Sunday in an emotional fourth-round showdown at the US Open. Defending champion Williams, whose relationship with Stephens was strained after the prodigy upset the 16-time Grand Slam champion at Melbourne, advanced early Saturday by beating 78th-ranked Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 6-1.
Kvitova loses
Czech seventh seed Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion who was reportedly hospitalized on Friday, made 27 unforced errors and seven double faults to lose in only 65 minutes, falling to 81st-ranked US wildcard Alison Riske 6-3, 6-0.
"I’ve got a new confidence in myself," Riske said through tears in an on-court interview. "I believe that I belong here."
Another young American, 21-year-old Christina McHale, was one game away from matching Riske in upsetting a former major champion to reach her first Grand Slam fourth round. McHale had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set against 13th-seeded Ana Ivanovic, but the 2008 French Open champ fought back to win the match 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in 2 hours, 26 minutes.
Kuznetsova ousted
Russian 27th seed Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open champion who missed last year’s US Open with a right knee injury, made 35 unforced errors in losing 7-5, 6-1 to Italy’s 83rd-ranked Flavia Pennetta, who had lost their five prior career matchups.
Pennetta, who also ousted Italian fourth seed Sara Errani, will next face Romania’s Simona Halep.
Indians disappoint
It was end of US Open campaign for Somdev Devvarman and Mahesh Bhupathi after they lost their respective hard-fought matches even as Rohan Bopanna had a mixed day, here.
Somdev, who had qualified for the singles main draw, battled hard for two hours 40 minutes before losing 6-7 (8), 4-6 5-7 to Italian 20th seed Andreas Seppi. Bhupathi, partnering comeback girl Martina Hingis in the mixed doubles event, lost 6-7 (5) 6-7 (5) to Yung-Jan Chan and Robert Lindstedt in the first round. Bopanna had a sweet-sour day as he advanced in the men’s doubles but suffered a shock first round exit in the mixed doubles along with third seed German partner Julia Goerges. Partnering Edourad Roger-Vasselin in the men’s doubles, the sixth seed Indo-French team beat American pair of Bradley Klahn and Sam Querrey 6-2 6-4.  Also exiting from the mixed doubles was Sania Mirza.

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