Pride & Joy

Thiem sees off Cilic | Serena survives Stephens scare | Azarenka storms through

NEW YORK, September 6

Victoria Azarenka won two Grand Slams and ascended to the world’s No. 1 ranking earlier in her career but the Belarusian says she has never felt happier on court than she does now. The 31-year-old, who beat Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-2 yesterday, has not dropped a set this week en route to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows, where she reached back-to-back finals in 2012 and 2013, losing both to Serena Williams.

“I feel like I’ve been always passionate, but the joy of playing and kind of accepting the process, all of the good and bad in the process, I have never done that before in my career, even when I was No. 1, when I was winning Grand Slam,” she said.

“I was never able to reach that level of happiness on the court, joy on the court, enjoyment of that.”

The two-time Australian Open winner returned to the Tour in 2018 after the birth of her son Leo but had not lifted a title until winning the Western & Southern Open, a warm-up event for the US Open. — Reuters

‘Serena’ target

Winning a Grand Slam is hard. For Serena Williams, managing the overwhelming expectations that come with a two-decade long career in the spotlight seems even harder. The third seed advanced into the second week yesterday, surviving a third-round scare from fellow American Sloane Stephens before winning 2-6 6-2 6-2 in her toughest test at this year’s tournament so far. Asked how she compartmentalises the day-to-day challenge of competition with the attention 23 Grand Slam titles can bring, Williams simply said: “Sometimes it’s harder than others. Every day having ‘Serena’ on your back is a massive target for the tour, for press, for stress. But as Billie Jean King said, pressure is a privilege. So I wouldn’t want it any other way. So I just try to think about how fortunate I am to have been in this position.” In all of sport there are few records quite so stubborn as the one belonging to King’s rival, Margaret Court: 24 Grand Slam titles. It is one that Williams has fought mightily to reach. Reuters

Quick start

Second seed Dominic Thiem staved off a spirited fightback from Marin Cilic to beat the former champion 6-2 6-2 3-6 6-3 yesterday and reach the fourth round. Thiem had won both his previous meetings with the 31st-seeded Croat and quickly stamped his authority on the evening’s final match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. Reuters

Bopanna in quarters

India veteran Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian partner Denis Shapovalov stunned sixth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies to advance to the men’s doubles quarterfinals. The unseeded pair won 4-6 6-4 6-3 in Round 2. Bopanna is the lone surviving Indian in the tournament after the exit of Sumit Nagal and Divij Sharan. pti

Mladenovic out

The top-seeded women’s doubles team was dropped from the US Open because one of the players, Kristina Mladenovic of France, was issued a quarantine notice by public health officials from the county where her tournament hotel is. Mladenovic was one of seven players placed under extra restrictions during the tournament after contact tracing determined she potentially could have been exposed to Covid-19 by Benoit Paire, the only entrant to test positive. USTA removed Mladenovic and her partner, Timea Babos of Hungary, saying it was “obligated to adhere to government guidance.”

Keys retires with neck issue

American Madison Keys, the 2017 runner-up, dropped the opening set of her third-round encounter against Frenchwoman Alize Cornet before retiring with a neck injury. Cornet was leading 7-6(4) 3-2 when Keys decided she was unable to continue.

Other results

Men’s singles

Felix Auger-Aliassime bt Corentin Moutet 6-1 6-0 6-4; Matteo Berrettini bt Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4 6-2; Vasek Pospisil bt Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 2-6 4-6 6-3 6-2; Alex de Minaur bt Karen Khachanov 6-4 0-6 4-6 6-3 6-1; Daniil Medvedev bt JJ Wolf 6-3 6-3 6-2; Frances Tiafoe bt Marton Fucsovics 6-2 6-3 6-2

Women’s singles

Sofia Kenin bt Ons Jabeur 7-6(4) 6-3; Tsvetana Pironkova bt Donna Vekic 6-4 6-1; Maria Sakkari bt Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-1; Elise Mertens bt Caty McNally 7-5 6-1