Thiem shows Nagal the door

NEW YORK, September 4

Second seed Dominic Thiem celebrated his 27th birthday with a commanding 6-3 6-3 6-2 victory over India’s Sumit Nagal yesterday to move into the third round of the US Open. Austrian Thiem, seeking his maiden Grand Slam title, won an overwhelming 74% of his first serve points and hit 30 winners past the inexperienced Nagal, breaking him seven times in the two-hour contest.

‘Always chasing him’

Nagal became the first Indian in seven years to win a singles match at a Grand Slam on Tuesday but the 23-year-old showed only flashes of brilliance in a one-sided clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “He’s a few levels ahead of me, he’s got way more experience and knows how to play better on courts like this,” Nagal said. “I was always chasing him. I need to start matches with focus and discipline… It’s only going to get better with experience, with more matches I play.”

Other results

Men’s singles

Daniil Medvedev bt Christopher O’Connell 6-3 6-2 6-4; Matteo Berrettini bt Ugo Humbert 6-4 6-4 7-6(6); Alex de Minaur bt Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-3 6-7(6) 7-5; Vasek Pospisil bt Milos Raonic 6-7(1) 6-3 7-6(4) 6-3

Women’s singles

Sofia Kenin bt Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-4; Tsvetana Pironkova bt Garbine Muguruza 7-5 6-3; Sorana Cirstea bt Johanna Konta 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4; Amanda Anisimova bt Katrina Scott 4-6 6-4 6-1

Up next for Thiem is 2014 champion Marin Cilic who beat Norbert Gombos 6-3 1-6 7-6(2) 7-5.

Serena wins, Murray loses

Canadian young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime blasted past former champion Andy Murray 6-2 6-3 6-4.

Serena Williams battled to a 6-2 6-4 victory over Margarita Gasparyan. Up next for her is fellow American and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, who cruised past Olga Govortsova 6-2 6-2. Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, beaten by Aryna Sabalenka in Round 1 here last year, beat her Belarusian compatriot 6-1 6-3. — Reuters