Shapovalov, Zverev and Muguruza win, Isner ousted

New York,
Maria Sharapova rolled into the last 16 at the US Open by overpowering US teen Sofia Kenin while a wide-open side of the men’s draw lost 2014 champion Marin Cilic.

Former world No. 1 Sharapova downed the 139th-ranked wildcard 7-5, 6-2 and moved into a fourth-round clash with Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova.

The 30-year-old Russian broke Kenin with a forehand winner after 66 minutes to swipe the first set, exchanged early second-set breaks on double faults then broke again in the sixth and last games for the victory.

Cilic eliminated
Croatian fifth seed Cilic, idled after Wimbledon until this week due to an adductor strain, was eliminated 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-4 by Argentine 29th seed Diego Schwartzman. Cilic’s exit ensured a first-time Slam finalist will come from his draw half, which now lacks a top-10 player and has only one Slam semifinalist, American Sam Querrey.

Youngest to reach Round 4

Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov has become the youngest man to reach the US Open’s fourth round since Michael Chang was 17 in 1989. The 18-year-old Israeli-born world No. 69 advanced when Britain’s Kyle Edmund retired with a neck injury with the Canadian leading 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 1-0. Shapovalov will play for a quarterfinal berth against Spanish 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta, who ousted French qualifier Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

The Spaniard, who has not dropped a set, will become the first player to face four qualifiers at a Grand Slam in the Open Era (since 1967).

With US 10th seed John Isner being ousted 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) by German 23rd seed Mischa Zverev, Carreno Busta became the top remaining seed in his half of the draw. Zverev gets US 17th seed Querrey next.

Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi, 35, became the oldest player in the Open Era to reach a Grand Slam last 16 for the first time by defeating countryman Thomas Fabbiano 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.

Easy for Muguruza
Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza needed only 62 minutes to defeat Slovakian 31st seed Magdalena Rybarikova 6- 1, 6-1 and continue her best US Open run as well as take command of the fight for women’s world No. 1.

Awaiting Muguruza next is Czech 13th seed Petra Kvitova who defeated French 18th seed Caroline Garcia 6-0, 6-4.

Ostapenko out
Jelena Ostapenko was knocked out of the third round, losing 6-3 6-2 to Russian Daria Kasaktina after hitting a massive 38 unforced errors on Saturday.— Agencies

Maria’s jibe: Where is Wozniacki?

Sharapova hit back at Caroline Wozniacki over a scheduling row, saying of her bitter Danish rival: “I’m in the fourth round. I don’t know where she is.” Wozniacki was furious that her second round match was played on an outside court while Sharapova was playing all of hers in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Danish player said it was “unacceptable and questionable” for Sharapova, who is playing her first Grand Slam since the end of a drugs ban, to be given the showpiece court. “With regards to scheduling, as you know, I don’t make the schedule,” said Sharapova. “I’m a pretty big competitor. If you put me out in the parking lot of Queens in New York City, I’m happy to play there. “All that matters to me is I’m in the fourth round. Yeah, I’m not sure where she is.” Wozniacki lost her second-round match after being scheduled on Court 5 before getting bumped up to Court 10.

Paes-Raja in second round

Leander Paes and Purav Raja sailed into the second round in the pair’s first outing at a Grand Slam but Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna crashed out of their respective events. Paes and Raja thrashed Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki 6-1 6-3. Bopanna and Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas went down to Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli, 5-7 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 47 minutes in the second round match. Sania and her mixed doubles partner Ivan Dodig of Croatia lost to the Latvian-French pair of Jelena Ostapenko and Fabrice Martin 7-5 3-6 6-10. Bopanna will play the first of his mixed doubles match with Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and Sania and her Chinese partner Peng Shuai will look to advance to the second round of the women’s doubles. Divij Sharan who was paired up with No. 66 Andre Begemann lost 4-6, 4-6 to Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez.