FEDERER STILL ON FIRE AT U.S. OPEN, CICI GOES DOWN IN JUNIOR EVENT BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 3rd September 2014

FEDERER STILL ON FIRE AT U.S. OPEN, CICI GOES DOWN IN JUNIOR EVENT BY RICKY DIMON

epa04381538 Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after defeating Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain on the ninth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 02 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JASON SZENES |

Well, that wasn’t quite the night session that had taken place 24 hours (or less!) earlier.

On Monday, Victoria Azarenka overcame Aleksandra Krunic in three sets before Kei Nishikori outlasted Milos Raonic in five. The end result was a tie for the latest finish in U.S. Open history, with Nishikori and Raonic wrapping things up at 2:26 a.m.

Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return to Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain on the ninth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 02 September 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JASON SZENES

One day later (or much later in the day on Tuesday, to be exact), the night session progressed in ultra-quick fashion. Roger Federer rolled over Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 56 minutes before Caroline Wozniacki hammered Saran Errani 6-1, 6-0 in one hour and five minutes.

Federer gave back one of two breaks late in the first set, but that was the only time he dropped serve against Bautista Agut en route to the quarterfinals. The 33-year-old Swiss saved six of seven break points and fired 36 winners to just 25 unforced errors. He has dropped only one set so far and just one of his 12 victorious sets has been more competitive than 6-4.

“He hasn’t got the biggest game but he’s consistent,” Federer said of his Spanish adversary. “He’s fast. He can adapt. So he’s got things that can make you feel uncomfortable. He can absorb pace well. From that standpoint, even though I did feel I had margin, because I never played him before I was still pushing forward all along and trying to always keep a gap between him and me in terms of the result and the scoreline.”

Catherine Bellis of the US hits a return to Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan during play on the fourth day of the 2014 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 28 August 2014. The US Open runs through 08 September, a 15-day schedule. EPA/JUSTIN LANE

CiCi Bellis, who became a household name in tennis circles by upsetting Dominika Cibulkova in round one of the women’s draw, will not be pushing forward in the girls’ bracket. Bellis battled back nicely from a set deficit but ultimately succumbed to Natalia Vikhlyantseva 7-6(9), 2-6, 6-1.

In boys’ action, it was a much better day at the office for the American contingent. Jared Donaldson, Francis Tiafoe, Taylor Harry Fritz, and Henrik Wiersholm all advanced to the third round. Donaldson, the No. 3 seed, surrendered only four games in his victory on the Grandstand.

The legends will join the party on Wednesday, with Michael Chang and Mark Philippoussis going up against Todd Martin and Pat Cash.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Caroline Wozniacki, CiCi Bellis, Junior Tennis, Kei Nishikori, milos raonic, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Sara Errani, US Open, Victoria Azarenka

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10sBalls_com says:

September 3, 2014 at 8:07 am

@rogerfederer STILL ON FIRE AT @usopen, #CICI GOES DOWN IN #JUNIOR EVENT BY @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/TYMM7da7rQ @CiCiBellisFans #tennis