Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic and
2003 titlist Andy Roddick were among the third-round winners Sunday at the
U.S. Open.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Djokovic drubbed No. 31 Julien Benneteau
of France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in 97 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Serbian has
reached the round of 16 here for the sixth straight year.
Next up for the 25-year-old Djokovic will be Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka,
the No. 18 seed. Wawrinka, a 2010 U.S. Open quarterfinalist, advanced Sunday
with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over 14th-seeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Roddick, meanwhile, beat Italian Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4 to
extend his career at least one more match.
The 20th-seeded American, who announced he would retire after the year's final
major, raced out to a 5-2 lead before Fognini captured the next three games to
even the first set.
After fighting off a break point with an ace, Roddick held serve to go up 6-5
and then took the first set when Fognini sent a backhand volley into the net.
The duo exchanged breaks to begin the second set before holding serve the rest
of the way, resulting in a tiebreak dominated by Roddick. The third set
remained on serve until Fognini earned a break in the decisive 10th game,
forcing a fourth set.
Fognini faced two break points in the seventh game. He save one but lost the
other when he fired a ball into the net, giving Roddick a 4-3 lead. Roddick
consolidated the break with a hold at 15 and finished off the three-hour match
in his next service game. An ace gave him triple match point and he held off
retirement with another unreturnable serve.
Roddick will face 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth
round. The seventh-seeded Argentine defeated countryman Leonardo Mayer 6-3,
7-5, 7-6 (11-9).
Fourth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer advanced to the round of 16 for the 10th
consecutive Grand Slam with a 7-6 (11-9), 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 triumph over 2001 U.S.
Open champion Lleyton Hewitt.
The Sports Network