DIMITROV UPSET BY KUKUSHKIN IN US OPEN SECOND ROUND

Written by: Staff on 3rd September 2015

DIMITROV UPSET BY KUKUSHKIN IN US OPEN SECOND ROUND

epa04909768 Rafael Nadal of Spain's Richard Mille RM 27-02 watch is seen as he serves to Diego Schwartzman of Argentina during their match on the third day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 02 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

In one of Day 3’s biggest upsets, Mikhail Kukushkin toppled 17th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 7-6(2), 2-6, 4-6, 6-4 in three hours and 38 minutes. The 27-year-old Kazakh, who is coached by his wife, saved six of 12 break points, though he didn’t face one in the decisive set.

Kukushkin has had a tough 2015, failing to win through to the third round of an ATP World Tour tournament since January. He next faces defending champion and ninth seed Marin Cilic. The pair has split their two previous meetings.

Benoit Paire, who scored the biggest win of his career by knocking out fourth seed Kei Nishikori in the first round, continued his victorious ways. The Frenchman saw off Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in just over two hours, winning 77 per cent of his first serve points.

By reaching the third round in New York, the 26-year-old Paire equalled his previous best result at a Grand Slam and has now reached the round of 32 at all four majors. Paire will meet 26th seed Tommy Robredo, who defeated big-serving Australian Sam Groth 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. Paire has a 2-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Spaniard.

“I played against him two times this year and I lost two times. Both the [matches] were very, very close and I hope this time it will turn around and I will beat him,” said Robredo. “He’s playing great, he’s a great guy and I’m going to try my best and we’ll see what happens.”

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and three minutes. The 30-year-old Frenchman never faced a break point. “Last time I played against him I lost, so I’m happy,” said Tsonga. “I will try to bring this good tennis [to] my next match,” added the 19th seed.

With the victory, Tsonga set up a third-round showdown against Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky. Stakhovsky earlier defeated countryman Ilya Marchenko 6-4, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4. Tsonga, who reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2011, has a 4-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Stakhovsky.

( Courtesy of the ATP and Original Link – http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/dimitrov-upset-by-kukushkin-in-us-open-second-round )

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2015 U.S. Open, Atp World Tour, Benoit Paire, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Kei Nishikori, Marcel Granollers, Marin Cilic, Mikhail Kukushkin, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

September 3, 2015 at 8:04 am

-@GrigorDimitrov UPSET BY KUKUSHKIN IN @usopen SECOND ROUND- http://t.co/AqV3MtzbN4 #tennis #Dimitrov #Kukushkin #USOpen2015 #NewYork #ATP