New York, Sep 4 (AFP): Novak Djokovic reached the US Open last 16 in just 32 minutes on Friday when Mikhail Youzhny retired injured before fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal also made the fourth round for the first time in three years.
Defending champion Djokovic was 4-2 ahead in the first set when Russian 34-year-old Youzhny called it quits suffering from a left hamstring injury. The outcome completed a bizarre first week for World No. 1 Djokovic. After labouring over four sets to beat Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, he was handed a walkover into the third round when Czech opponent Jiri Vesely withdrew from their second round clash with an arm injury.
The top seed next faces Britain's World No. 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time.
Nadal reached the fourth round for the first time since 2013 with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov.
Djokovic's very brief encounter had been preceded on Arthur Ashe Stadium by women's eighth seed Madison Keys pulling off an epic comeback to beat Japan's Naomi Osaka.
On Friday, the 21-year-old was involved in more drama when she rallied from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (3).
The 18-year-old Osaka was so traumatised by her failure to convert her dominance into victory that she broke down in tears as she twice tried and failed to serve for the victory.
In stark contrast, German second seed Angelique Kerber closed out the night session with a 6-1, 6-1 win against American CiCi Bellis.
Jack Sock, the American 26th seed, reached the fourth round for the first time by knocking out 2014 champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in tie where he did not face a single break point.
Wozniacki, who knocked out ninth-seeded former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second round, clinched a seventh win in seven meetings over unorthodox Monica Niculescu of Romania.
The Dane's 6-3, 6-1 victory featured eight breaks of serve.Italian Roberta Vinci overcame a second set blip to defeat 21-year-old Carina Witthoeft 6-0, 5-7, 6-3.
The 33-year-old Vinci led 5-4, 30-0 in the second set before her 84th-ranked German opponent dug deep to take the tie into a decider.
But Vinci prevailed on the back of 40 winners and will meet Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine for a quarterfinal place. Tsurenko, the World No. 99, made the last 16 at a Slam for the first time by beating 12th seed Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 27-year-old Tsurenko committed 44 unforced errors. Fortunately for her, Cibulkova hit 54.
Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova backed up her shock victory over third seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza by making the last 16 for the first time with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine.
World No. 48 Sevastova, who briefly retired in 2013, has matched her best run at a Slam and next faces British 13th seed Johanna Konta who put out Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-1.
Thiem through
Austrian Dominic Thiem moved into the fourth round after rallying to beat Pablo Carreno 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5, while Agnieszka Radwanska breezed past Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-3 in the women’s singles.
Results (Prefix denote seedings): Round 3: Men: 8-Dominic Thiem (Aut) bt Pablo Carreno (Esp) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5; 1-Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) 4-2 (rtd); Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt 20-John Isner (US) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5); 9-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Fra) bt 23-Kevin Anderson (Rsa) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4); 26-Jack Sock (US) bt 7-Marin Cilic (Cro) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; 4-Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Andrey Kuznetsov (Rus) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2; 24-Lucas Pouille (Fra) bt 15-Roberto Bautista (Esp) 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1; 10-Gael Monfils (Fra) bt Nicolas Almagro (Esp) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) bt Ryan Harrison (US) 6-3, 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-1.
Women: 4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) bt 25-Caroline Garcia (Fra) 6-2, 6-3; 11-Carla Suarez Navarro (Esp) bt 19-Elena Vesnina (Rus) 6-4, 6-3; 5-Simona Halep (Rom) bt 31-Timea Babos (Hun) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4; 8-Madison Keys (US) bt Naomi Osaka (Jpn) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (3); Caroline Wozniacki (Den) bt Monica Niculescu (Rom) 6-3, 6-1; 13-Johanna Konta (Gbr) bt 24-Belinda Bencic (Sui) 6-2, 6-1; Anastasija Sevastova (Lat) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr) 6-4, 6-1; 7-Roberta Vinci (Ita) bt Carina Witthoeft (Ger) 6-0, 5-7, 6-3; Lesia Tsurenko (Ukr) bt 12-Dominika Cibulkova (Svk) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; 14-Petra Kvitova (Cze) bt 22-Elina Svitolina (Ukr) 6-3, 6-4; 2-Angelique Kerber (Ger) bt Cici Bellis (US) 6-1, 6-1.