Title rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray both overcame difficulties to reach the third round of the US Open on Friday as the last grand slam of the season heads to the midway point.
Top seed Djokovic needed a set to adjust to challenging, windy conditions before settling into rhythm for a 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Benjamin Becker to earn a third-round spot.
Defending champion Murray, seeded third, survived a lapse to eventually defeat Argentine Leonardo Mayer 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
“I was a bit frustrated at points in the match because I was doing quite a lot of the running. I wasn’t getting much depth on my returns,” said Murray. “You don’t feel like you’re dictating the match. It can be frustrating.”
2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt belied his 32 years to stun 2009 winner Juan Del Potro 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, a match ending after four hours with a double-fault from the Argentine.
“I was pumped up when won first round, getting the chance to play Del Potro,” said Hewitt. “I don’t know how many years I have in tennis. I was just hungry to get out and play again and put on a great show.
“When I had foot surgeries a few years ago, I didn’t know if I would play again. This is why I still play, for moments like this.”
World number one Djokovic faces a challenge to his top ranking if Spanish rival Rafael Nadal carries on winning after lifting nine titles so far this season.
The Serb earned his victory, but only after taking a demanding first set to get accustomed to the blustery environment of the vast Ashe showcase court.
“It was very tough, a lot of unforced errors, very windy conditions,” said Djokovic, who has not lost a grand slam second round match since Wimbledon 2008. “You couldn’t predict where the ball is going to go, so you have to be very alert.
“At the start I had difficulty with my footwork. But I was very much better in the set after that. There was a lot of wind, wind that is not consistent. It changes direction all the time.”
Djokovic will next take on only the second Portuguese player to get this far at a major, Joao Sousa, who caught out flagging Finn Jarkko Nieminen 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Nieminen, who had not played for two days, was surprisingly short on energy during the five-set loss.
Fifth seed Tomas Berdych defeated American Denis Kudla 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
Swiss ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka tamed the huge serve of qualifier Ivo Karlovic 7-5, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 and next plays Marcos Baghdatis, a winner over Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
Germany’s 35-year-old 12th seed Tommy Haas continued to roll back the years with his win over Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), while Russian Mikhail Youzhny defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.
Haas needed two and a half hours for his 15-ace victory, striking 53 winners.
Women's Singles
In the women’s third round, China’s Li Na took her revenge on Laura Robson 6-2, 7-5 a year after losing to the Briton at the Open.
The fifth-seeded Li was joined in the third round by Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, a winner over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (7-1).
Li and Robson, who had little preparation coming into the final major of the season after recovering from a wrist injury, played the opening match in front of a sparse crowd.
Former Roland Garros champion Li won in 81 minutes with 11 aces, four service breaks and 23 winners against her 32nd-ranked British opponent.
The Australian-born Robson said her wrist was not quite at 100 per cent, and that it could use more rest in order to heal. She is due to play in China next month.
German eighth seed Angelique Kerber beat Kaia Kanepi 6-0, 6-4; one-time finalist Jelena Jankovic, the ninth seed, beat Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), while American 15th seed Sloane Stephens stopped compatriot Jamie Hampton 6-1, 6-3.
Russian Ekaterina Makarova upset Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, seeded 16th, 6-4, 7-5.