The quarterfinals in the bottom half of the U.S. Open draw could not be much more intriguing, with three of the top-eight seeds joined by Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro is going up against Stan Wawrinka, while Andy Murray is facing Kei Nishikori.
(WC) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (3) Stan Wawrinka
Wawrinka and Del Potro will be squaring off for the seventh time in their careers and at a second consecutive Grand Slam when they battle for a place in the U.S. Open semifinals on Wednesday. They met just recently in the second round of Wimbledon, where Del Potro pulled off a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 upset to win his fourth match in a row against Wawrinka and extend his head-to-head series lead to 4-2. Surprisingly, they have not faced each other a single time on a hard court.
The hard-court drought came dangerously close to being extended, as Wawrinka found himself one point away from defeat in a third-round battle with Dan Evans. The unseeded Brit had a match point in the fourth set but Wawrinka stormed back for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(8), 6-2 victory. Not much has been routine at this event for the third-ranked Swiss, who has also advanced with wins over Fernando Verdasco, Alessandro Giannessi, and Illya Marchenko. Del Potro, on the other hand, has stormed through his part of the draw without dropping a set. The 2009 champion took care of Diego Schwartzman, Steve Johnson, and David Ferrer before getting a second-set retirement from Dominic Thiem. Thus continues a resurgent summer for Del Potro, who took out Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on his way to silver at the Rio Olympics. Based on current form and Del Potro’s history of success in this matchup, the Argentine’s run should make another giant leap forward.
Pick:Â Del Potro in 4
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(6) Kei Nishikori vs. (2) Andy Murray
Another rematch of a showdown from earlier in the summer will pit Murray against Nishikori on Wednesday. They recently collided in the semifinals of the Olympics, with Murray dominating 6-1, 6-4 to improve to 7-1 in the head-to-head series. In six of his seven victories the world No. 2 has refused to surrender even a single to Nishikori, but the lone exception came back in March and it was not one to be forgotten. In a first-round Davis Cup tilt between Great Britain and Japan, Murray secured the clinching point with a 7-5, 7-6(6), 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 triumph in front of the home crowd.
Murray’s 2016 campaign has been so impressive that Great Britain’s run back to the Davis Cup semifinals–after winning it all last year–has been almost lost among his accomplishments. This fortnight’s second seed is 54-7 with another Wimbledon title and a second consecutive gold medal in men’s singles. Murray, a recent runner-up in Cincinnati, has maintained his fine form in New York with defeats of Lukas Rosol, Marcel Granollers, Paolo Lorenzi, and Grigor Dimitrov. He stumbled at times in a four-set win over Lorenzi but picked up the pace to destroy Dimitrov 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 on Monday night. Nishikori has advanced by beating Benjamin Becker, Karen Khachanov, Nicolas Mahut, and Ivo Karlovic. The world No. 7 also raised his level on Monday to the tune of his first straight-set win of the fortnight. Unfortunately for Nishikori, this is not a good matchup for him and Murray is simply the best player on tour right now.
Pick:Â Murray in 4
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Murray in four and Del Po in four
Andy in 3.
…and I can’t tell about the other match – leaning toward Delpo but having a hard time believing — feeling it’s all too good to be true, maybe. It’s a big match and Stan’s lucky to still be in it. Guessing Stan will make a match of it, if possible. Could be over in straights to Delpo or ???
Murray and Delpo in four.
Murray in 3. In this kind of games he gets super focused, he was astonishing against baby Fed and Nishi doesn’t seem to have the weapons to harm him during a whole match.
Delpo in 4. He is playing very consistently, specially in the last two games against decent opponents like Thiem and Ferrer, and his bigger weakness (his physic) doesn’t seem to be a problem so far. He looks strong and playing at night will be an advantage for him. On the other hand, Waw is unpredictable, but is not showing his best tennis lately.
Delpo had a slight shoulder thing against Thiem….
True, I forgot about it. I was thinking more about his fuel, with which he struggles often. Anyhow he didn’t play many hours in the tournament, so I hope he keeps his pace.
Definitely going for Murray in 4 sets here, but the other matchup, just have a funny feeling that Wawrinka we know on his day can beat anyone, that guy might turn up… Having said all that, Del Potro is playing such care free and fearless tennis, i think he will continue his run
Delpo in 4
Murray in 4.
I’m guessing/hoping Delpo v Wawa will be the motd, maybe even the mott. No clue re www. I think either at the top of his game could give Djoko a match while I’m doubtful Murray will. Unfortunately if one of them gets through they’ll have had a really tough road and the Djoker’s had a cakewalk.
Murray in 3
Del Potro in 4
Murray in 4; Delpo in 4.
murray in 3 or 4 and delpo in 3 or 4. if Delpo breezes he has a decent shot at Andy, though my only concern is that he wont have enough in the tank to get past Stan, Andy then Novak, which would be the dream. But then again who would? Novak has been extremely lucky to get the rest he has this fortnight, and I just hope Monfils is clutch enough to push him hard so whoever he meets from the other half of the draw isn’t too heavily disadvantaged by what would presumably be a fairly long and hard fought semi having already racked up a fair few more hours than the serb.
well that can work the other way as nole may be undercooked while his finalist opponent (presuming that happens) is battle-hardened.
i do hope that nishi actually turns up for his match with andy as he was lamentable against him at the olympics. andy will win anyway but it would be nice to see a real match.
am really rooting for delpo….
Amy yeah, Kei is too many times lamentable when he faces Andy. Unfortunately it’s tough also because all their meetings are in a SF or QF, big-time DC match, ect.
It’s not that Kei doesn’t try but I think he does give in too soon vs Andy and Nole — he tries harder vs Rog and Rafa. Their h2h is a dismal 7-1 to Andy, the only Kei win being at WTF 2014 when Andy’s mind was on Davis Cup. The hope I have is that in their last Davis Cup match 2016, Kei made 2 sets very close, won 2 sets, and it took Andy 5 sets to win. An exciting match from all accounts 🙂
well i hope chang can instill some belief into him rc. the olympics match was an embarassment. wasn’t even that he fought hard and then gave up…he was dreadful from the first game.
actually to be fair maybe kei was tird that game after the gr8 match he played against gael. he fights a lot harder against nole…
Well, I think he’s intimidated by both of them and gives up too soon generally vs Andy and Nole, on most days. My hope is that he’ll put more heart and soul into today’s match and make it good. Not that I want Andy to lose, I’m begging for a great tennis match.
Vamos Delpo!
oh yes i agree he is intimidated by both rc. just hope the match isn’t a damp squib which it might well be if kei goes in feeling defeated already.
I have to believe that Stan will not want to be knocked out again by Delpo. He has done well to get this far in what has been a mediocre year for him. But Delpo is playing well now and Stan will have to play well to win.
I think it should be a really good match. I can see it going 3 or 4 sets. I think Delpo will get the win, but it will be a battle.
I think Murray should have a pretty easy time against Nishi. Murray is just playing too well now and Nishi doesn’t have the answers. He is capable of taking a set off Murray if he is playing well. But Murray could win in 3 sets.
first set beatdown complete, two more sets to go. sigh
i just had a look at live scores as i am working and can’t watch. wasnt’ it 6-1 in the olympics opening set? it really is a bit shameful that kei can’t muster more than this. he has the talent to do way way more….
Am in ashe watching the roof close. Anybody else here
hope you’re having a good time vmk….
Got my moneys worth amy. Am bracing myself for a simona serena match and then the wawa potro? Wish rafa was alive
as there isn’t a nole – gael thread up yet. just to say that mats wilander has said that gael is the favourite for that match!! really mats? on what planet is gael the favourite over nole?? unless nole is really struggling badly with injury that is immensely implausible.
Monfils favorite over Nole??? LOL…Mats is definitely losing it…
Go Kei go.
I got home to see that we have a match with Murray and Nishi!
Murray is looking kind of lethargic out there right now.
Nishi holding his own in the third set.
Murray seems rattled right now.
Now that’s more like it with the cc backhand winner from Andy!
Ace from Andy! Good time for it.
Bad game from Nishi!! The worst time for a DF. Andy capitalizes. Now we need to see if he can hold his serve.
This is crazy! Breaks galore!
Now Andy trying to serve it out for the third set.
wow kei is fighting this time! up a break in the fourth…
kei has exactly double the number of points won at net as andy – that’s surprising..
Andy just can’t shake Nishi!
Nishi serving for the 4th set up 5-1. Murray looking off and out of it.
Murray just cannot get it together to string two good sets together. He really looked out of it late in the fifth set.
Nishi is playing like he believes he can win.
I expect Muzza to calm down and figure it out in the 5th.
Hahaha the ball boys removed the butterfly
I don’t believe it! Nishi just broke Andy in his first service game!
Nishi just controlling every rally.
Those two points from Murray there were PHENOMENAL. 0-40. 3 break points for Muzza
Murray pulling out all the stops to get the break back!
All even at 2-2.
All uneven at 4-2 Nishi. Was Andy tanking in the 4th set? (Have not been watching, don’t really enjoy seeing either of these guys play).
Wow just got back home and couldn’t believe the fifth set rolling? I thought Murray would donate a set to Nishi but that’s all…but I forget how well Nishi played USO in the past…As I type Andy’s defense looks nothing less but amazing..,good match!
Wow Nishi using Rafa’s recipe for “how to lose the match when one is in the winning position”..,
haha…he is leading again now…
Andy not fighting hard enough at these ending stages… Push harder man
Great win for Nishi. Absolute dogsh** 5th set from Muzza. Del Potro should have his way with Nishi on Friday after this brutal match
To be fair, obviously Nishi did play a fantastic 5th set, but that still was horrid from Muzza. Never got over that stupid incident that happened in the 4th set.
what happened? didn’t see the 4th
A gong went off and the Chair ump stopped the match as Murray was about to break back on Nishi. Went on to lose the point and the next 3 games
That’s why I don’t like it when Nishi wins. He will have nothing left for the semis.
On ESPN the commies are saying that Andy played too much recently. They said that Andy was waiting for Nishi to fold in the match.
You don’t often see Andy DF to break point more than once in the crucial moments of the match. In that last service game Andy did DF to break point. He seemed very nervous.
There goes #1 for Andy, but he’s still had a great summer.
wow…
Yesssssssss!!!!!!!
What just happened? How on earth did Andy manage to lose this?
Well, great play from Nishi! I am happy for him! He was the gutsy player out there, never gave up on being aggressive! Bravo Nishi!
Exactly my thoughts. Great win from Nishi, played great and deserved it. But this is still all about how Andy lost it.
I thought when Andy went up two sets to one, thst he would take control. But Nishi would not go away. He did not quit and played like he believed he could win.
I give all credit to Nishi for coming up with some great shots when the match was on the line. I was hoping and expecting that Andy would get through to the final, but he wasn’t able to get it done. So I have mixed feelings, but I much prefer this match to what we saw with Novak and Tsonga. Very poor effort from Tsonga in that match. Nishi showed how you are supposed to play when you are up against a top player.
Great match from both guys. Murray didn’t play as well as earlier rounds but a lot of that was due to the pressure Nishi created.
Fun match.
Pretty much ends the race for year end number 1 though unless Lamonf beats Nole.
Allez!!!!
Well deserved win for Nishikori.
Fourth straight year muzz hasn’t made USO semis unless someboty begs to differ.
woah! just realized
Dang ur right. Lost to Stan in 2013 QF lost to Djoker in 2014 QF lost to Anderson 2015 r16 and now this
Well, I would have picked Murray in 3 (but just saw the match on tv!)…and I like JDP in 4….should be fun to watch…a lot better than both of last night’s matches!!!
Now it’s Serena/Halep.
Halep and the heat are exhausting Serena. Shes really laboring and breathing heavy
Yeah no question. Del Po and Stan should be great just like kei vs Andy was
Jimmy Connors ‏@JimmyConnors 2h2 hours ago
Now the Murray/Nishikori match was just what the US Open is all about– and the fans needed to see– guts and determination from both!!!!
ESPNTennis ‏@ESPNTennis 2h2 hours ago
.@keinishikori remains UNDEFEATED against Top 10 players at the #USOpen, now 5-0 with win over No.2 Murray.
#Whoa!!!
That’s pretty funny. Kei only gets beat at the USO by players outside the top 10? Bodes well for Delpo if he gets past Stan.
Hahahaha…
https://twitter.com/Renestance/status/773630316321894400
#GongGate
Top 3 Forehand vs Top 3 Backhand… Should be fun
first decent opponent and murray falls apart.
british media in ruins.
Delpo’s fh is waaaay off.
Down a set.
Bye bye Delpo.
Looking good for the CryBaby with his contrived Come ons and his pointing to his head as in look how smart I am everyone.
#MirkasRight
Whoda thought anyone could be more annoying than Hewitt.
Delpo isn’t done yet. Up a break and serving for the second set.
Not a fan of Wawa although I have respect for his RG title which he well deserved…but it’s good that he won, Delpo was injured…couldn’t stand another retirement…
Nishi may be out of gas, let’s see….
delps was injured! that guy just can’t catch a break! he was my fave to win with rafa out. very surprised nishi took andy out…still he can’t be discounted as he beat both stan and nole here 2 years ago…he played back to back five setters that year so who knows…
Stan more solid than Delpo and was the deserved winner. I feel Stan will reach the final and he’s the last person Djoko wants to meet.
I’ve no faith in Monfils beating Djoko, having seen him failed so many times even when he was playing well at times.
hahaha..i didn’t realise that andy killed a poor innocent butterfly on court yesterday! what next for the hannibal lecter of tennis? his opponents’ body parts mixed with a bottle of chianti and some fava beans.. that’ll increase the ratings for sure!!
Didn’t see the match ,just saw highlights. I am sure Delpo had limitations in this match but Stan played really well. His backhand DTL is clicking too! He was playing poorly earlier on in the tournament now seems to be reaching a high level.
I do hope we have an on-fire Stan in the final.