Fish and Federer Fight to Reach Fourth Round at US Open

Written by: Global Chick on 4th September 2011

Fish and Federer Fight to Reach Fourth Round at US Open

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American Mardy Fish overcame big serving Kevin Anderson today and Roger Federer took out Marin Cilic in four to advance into the fourth round at US Open today.

Mardy Fish was out on court today for three hours and 20 minutes before he beat Kevin Anderson of South Africa 6-4 7-6 (4) 7-6 (3). Fish broke Anderson in the seventh game of the first set. The number one American player served out the set at 5-4 despite hitting two double faults.

Kevin Anderson is known for his big serve and being 6-foot-8 he has clearly got an advantage. But it was Fish who served 12 aces and Anderson 8 today. Anderson mad 51 unforced errors compared to Fish’s 36. The American crowd favourite won the two tiebreak sets in an admirable way. Fish and Anderson have never met before today.

Next up for Fish is the winner of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Fernando Verdasco of Spain. Neither player will be a walk in the park for Fish in the round of 16.

Five time US Open Champion Roger Federer beat Croat Marin Cilic in four sets 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2 in two hours and 40 minutes. Cilic was never going to be an easy player to get past for Roger.

“Marin is a very aggressive baseline player, he’s tall, he’s young, he’s strong. I was very happy the way I was able to crawl out of the match,” Federer said.

Federer broke serve once in the first set and took the set. Cilic came back in the second set and broke Roger for the first time in the match in the 10^th game. Cilic took the second set 6-4. In the third set Federer broke Cilic again at 4-4 and took the set 6-4. The former world number one was too strong for Cilic in the fourth set. Roger was not totally happy with his serve, “It was a tricky match, especially at one set all. At that point he had momentum on his side. I was not returning and serving exactly the way I wanted, but I was able to turn it around and finished strong in the set.”

Today’s win was Federer’s 225^th Grand Slam win. He is edging closer to record holder Jimmy Connors who has 233 Grand Slam wins. “I’m on track because I’m in the tournament, that’s the most important at the end of the day. That’s what the beauty of this game is, I think, trying to find a way when you’re not feeling great,” the Swiss player said.

The Swiss number one player is looking to win his sixth US Open next week but first he has to take down Juan Monaco of Argentina in the fourth round. Monaco downed Germany’s Tommy Haas in four sets.