Patrick McEnroe, USTA’s GM of player development, said before the US Open he hoped he can get a couple of American men into the second week – meaning the Round of 16.
Three men are left and two are into the third round, No. 13 seed John Isner and Sam Querrey. But Querrey, despite soaring into the third round in displaying his finest form of the year, will have to get through No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic on Saturday to get to Week 2.
The big-hitting Querrey, who for 16 weeks last year was the top-ranked American man and briefly cracked the top 20, posted a straight-set 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 28th seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain. Querrey’s ranking has fallen to 57 amid a see-saw, injury-plagued young career.
“I got some confidence right now,’’ said Querrey, who called it his best match of the year. “I had momentum after last week putting together four wins coming in. I’m just committing to hitting the forehand big and serving well, and it seems to be working.’’
Querrey, 26, had major elbow surgery in 2011 and an abdominal tear last year that derailed his successful start to the year.
“I feel I’m much better than my ranking,’’ Querrey said. “If I keep playing like I played today I will keep going in the right direction and hopefully get back up in the top 20. I have played now seven good matches in a row, and so if I just continue do that, my ranking will keep going the right direction.’’
Djokovic beat Paul Henri Mathieu in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 Thursday on Ashe, but at least Querrey should have the Ashe Stadium crowd pumped for the upset.
“He’s had success against everyone,’’ Querrey said of the top seed. “I feel like if I played like I played today and I’m aggressive and everything is dropping in, I think I can challenge him and hopefully come out with a win. I’ll pretty much just try to serve big and be aggressive and take my chance was some big forehands.’’
Meanwhile, Isner rolled past Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 and faces Phillip Kohlschreiber for the third straight year in the third round, losing the past two years to the German. Isner said he hopes to have learned from those two defeats.
Despite slightly cooler temperatures, there were two more men’s draw forfeits Thursday after three occurred Wednesday.
Frenchmen Michael Llodra retired after losing the first set to Kohlschreiber because of a nagging elbow injury. Spain’s Pablo Anduhar of Spain retired after dropping the first two sets to Kei Nishikori, believed to be due to cramping. Wednesday, American Steve Johnson and Ivan Dodig retired because of cramping while Marcos Baghdatis retired with a knee ailment. On opening day, American Jack Sock retired with cramping.
Former American standout James Blake, who has been working with Sock, said of the cramping issues:
“The players are getting acclimated after a cool summer and now you get two straight very hot days,’’ Blake said. “Then you go from best of 3 to 5 sets.’’