ATP US Open: Alexander Zverev marches on. Denis Shapovalov edges Taylor Fritz

The 5th seed Alexander Zverev has repeated his best result at the US Open, defeating Adrian Mannarino 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in two hours and 52 minutes. The match started hours later than it was planned due to Mannarino's problems with health officials, and the Frenchman played well in sets one and two before Zverev found his range to sail into the last 16. Hitting 14 aces and worrying 11 double faults, Zverev saved six out of eight break chances, playing better and better as the encounter progressed and bringing it home after converting seven out of nine break points offered by Adrian. With 44 winners and 48 unforced errors, the German had the upper hand on the court, staying composed after the opener and securing the 40th Major victory. The youngster wasted game points at 2-3 in the opener, suffering a break but bringing it back straight away to remain in contention.

From 40-0 down in game eight, Alexander dug deep to avoid another setback and level the score at 4-4, with an inevitable tie break after four comfortable holds on both sides. Mannarino claimed it 7-4 with a return winner, looking good to cause an upset on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Serving at 3-3 in set number two, Zverev fended off a break point with a service winner, gathering momentum and closing the set with a forehand winner in game ten for a 6-4. The German raced into a 3-0 lead in set number three, with a left-hander pulling the break back in game five to extend his chances. Alexander stayed focused to grab a break with a forehand winner that sent him 4-2 in front, securing the set with another return game at 5-2 when a backhand crosscourt winner pushed him two sets to one in front. The Australian Open semi-finalist barely lost a point behind the initial shot in the fourth set, breaking Mannarino at 15 in game four and moving over the top with another break at 5-2.

Denis Shapovalov trailed 5-2 in set number four against Taylor Fritz. 

In one of the most anticipated encounters, Denis Shapovalov prevailed over Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in three hours and 26 minutes. With more than 110 winners and only 75 errors, two youngsters performed on a high level on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the American having a lead twice before the Canadian bounced back to cross the finish line first. Hitting 60 winners and 33 unforced errors, Denis defended ten out of 15 break chances given to Fritz, securing six return games to find himself over the top following a powerful performance in the decider. Taylor was the player to beat in the opener, delivering one good hold after another and breaking at 15 in game eight when Denis hit a double fault. The American closed the opener with a service winner a few minutes later, keeping that level in the first half of the second set. There, the returners claimed only a couple of points in the first seven games before Shapovalov secured a break at love to open a 5-3 gap, facing three break points while serving for the set.

Staying focused, Shapovalov erased them all and rattled off five straight points to take the set 6-3 after Taylor's forced error. From 3-1 down in the third set, the American found the range on the return, earning three straight breaks to perform a comeback and clinch the set 6-4, moving closer to the finish line. Shapovalov suffered a break at the beginning of the fourth and found himself 5-2 down, with no room for errors if he wanted to stay alive. Fritz served for the win at 5-3, getting broken and losing the tie break 7-5 when Shapovalov seized the only mini-break in the 12th point thanks to a backhand winner.

With a massive boost on his side, the Canadian grabbed an early break in the final set, sealing the deal with another break in game eight for the place in the last 16. Making the US Open debut, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is through to the fourth round after beating Cameron Norrie 7-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in two hours and 43 minutes. The young Spaniard tamed his strokes nicely, prevailing in the opener and delivering his best tennis in sets three and four to move into the next round. The 20th seed and a former semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta ousted Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 54 minutes, hitting more winners than unforced errors and controlling the pace with seven breaks on his tally.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3gVH1SI