China’s Peng Shuai and former world number one Jelena Jankovic led the way into the women’s round of 16 yesterday at the US Open.
Peng, showing no sign of a let-down after her second-round upset of fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, dispatched 28th-seeded Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-3 in just an hour and a quarter on a sun-splashed Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“I was really nervous,” Peng said, afraid that the adrenaline would have her belting her groundstrokes to the back fence.
She managed to keep the nerves in check to equal her best US Open showing—a fourth-round appearance in 2011. “I have a lot of motivation,” said Peng, who knows she has the eyes of China on her with compatriot Li Na sidelined by injury. “I wanted to fight and I really enjoyed the play.”
Italian 13th seed Sara Errani survived a second set scare to beat American Venus Williams 6-0 0-6 7-6 (7/5).
Ninth-seeded Jankovic was runner-up in 2008 -- her only appearance in a Grand Slam final to date and one she’s keen to repeat, if not improve upon.
“I feel hungry, I want to do well again,” said Jankovic, who called the bustling US Open her favourite tournament—even if it means coping with brash fans who ask mid-match for a quick photo pose.
Such distractions didn’t stop Jankovic from sweeping past Sweden’s 96th-ranked Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-0 in just under an hour.
“It was nice to get off the court quite fast,” Jankovic said. “It was quite hot out there. I played a solid match. I was patient. I waited for my chance to execute, and that’s what I did.”
In other men’s second-round matches, fourth-seeded David Ferrer moved to the third round without even stepping on the court after Australian wildcard Bernard Tomic withdrew with a left hip injury.
Tomic, 21, said he’d also been battling flu prior to his first round victory over Dustin Brown, and when the hip pain flared he opted to take a conservative approach.
“I don’t want to muck around with that area. It’s painful,” said Tomic, who retired after the first set of his first round match at the Australian Open against Rafael Nadal in January and underwent double hip surgery shortly thereafter.
“I can’t afford to go on court and play against David and cause much more pain within myself,” Tomic said. “I can potentially make it 10 times worse.”
The Spaniard, who fell to Federer in the final at Cincinnati this month, has won both prior encounters with Tomic.
Wimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov reached round three after breezing past Israel’s Dudi Sela 6-1 6-2 6-2.
Frenchman Gael Monfils got past Colombia’s Alejandro Gonzalez 7-5 6-3 6-2 in a little over two hours.
Results
Men (2nd rd): Feliciano Lopez (ESP x19) bt Tatsuma Ito (JPN) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4); 14-Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Illya Marchenko (UKR) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-4; 18-Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-1, 6-3; 4-David Ferrer (ESP) bt Bernard Tomic (AUS) walkover; 7-Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2; 20-Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) 7-5, 6-3, 6-2
Women (3rd rd): 9-Jelena Jankovic (SRB) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-1, 6-0; Peng Shuai (CHN) bt 28-Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-4, 6-3