Murray shown the exit
New York, Sept. 6: Andy Murray was a major casualty at the US Open on Sunday but Rafael Nadal stormed through as did Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams in the women’s tournament.
The 23-year-old Scot was out of sorts against Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka and his challenge to Nadal and Roger Federer ended in a crushing 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3 loss.
“He had a chance to win the first set; didn’t take it. I had a chance to win the second set; didn’t take it. I just struggled from then on,” the defeated fourth seed said.
Nadal led a Spanish charge with five of their number making it through to the eight fourth-round slots available in the top half of the draw. The others were eighth seed Fernando Verdasco, 10th seed David Ferrer, 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez and the unseeded Tommy Robredo.
Nadal takes on Lopez and Verdasco goes up against Ferrer in the first quarter, making it certain there will be at least one Spaniard in the semifinals.
The top seed was never troubled against France’s Gilles Simon, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, and he has yet to drop a set in three matches.
Others through to the last 16 in the top half were US hope Sam Querrey, who defeated Nicolas Almagro of Spain 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny who edged American John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
In the women’s tournament, defending champion Kim Clisters won the billed match of the day, trouncing former world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-1, a victory that was her 18th in a row at Flushing Meadows. Clijsters will face Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur, who ousted Russian 12th seed Elena Dementieva 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2). Meanwhile, Venus Williams saw off a strong early challenge from Shahar Peer before winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
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