US Open Day 4: American Men Move On, Women's Seeds Clear Out

None of the top ten seeds on the men's side have yet to drop a set so far, which is pretty mind boggling when compared with the number of women's seeds who have dropped sets in their shorter matches. 

The women's seeds did more than drop sets Thursday--they evacuated like there was a fire drill.  The top half, especially now the top quarter, is absurdly wide open for a lot of players to have their career best showing at a grand slam.

American men, on the other hand, looked incredibly solid at their home tournament, going 4-1 in matches against non-Americans.  Andy Roddick, James Blake John Isner, and even Jesse Witten racked up wins, while only Robert Kendrick lost.  Sam Querrey beat Kevin Kim in a battle between Americans.

Men's Second Round Highlights:

Andy Roddick USA (5) def. Marc Gicquel FRA 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 -- Another sharp, routine looking win for Roddick, who is winning early round matches consistently with ease like he never has before. Not much else to say about this one, except that Roddick looks good against the type of opponent who always shows up on the wrong side of these early round scorelines.

James Blake USA (21) def. Olivier Rochus BEL -- It's sad to say that this was an absolutely huge win for Blake, but it really is at this stage of his career.  With how bad he has been playing, not having won a match since June before this tournament, the third round is a showing he should be happy with, even at a tournament where he's made the quarterfinals a few times.  He faces Tommy Robredo next in a match I don't expect him to win.  I personally think his problems began when he switched to Fila and couldn't find any shirts that fit him, but nobody seems to be listening to my wise words.

Sam Querrey USA (22) def. Kevin Kim USA 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4 -- Querrey made it to the third round, but has not looked sharp at all through this tournament.  Playing for seven consecutive weeks before the US Open had to have taken a toll on him, and though he got a US Open Series win out of that schedule, it likely left him too exhausted to make a good run here.  Facing Soderling in his next match, it's looking more and more like Querrey will only have his third round prize money doubled.


Jesse Witten USA def. Maximo Gonzalez ARG 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 -- With a rowdy pack of Kentucky blue-wearing fans behind him, Jesse Witten made his second career win at an ATP level tournament a win in the second round of a Grand Slam.  He's moving well and constructing points very aggressively, playing the type of tennis that should help him get into the top 100 at some point.  He won't make it past Djokovic in the next round, but it's already been a dream run for the journeyman.

John Isner USA def. Marsel Ilhan TUR 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1) -- John Isner rode his serve to a fairly routine win over Ilhan, who did well as the first Turkish man ever in the main draw of a grand slam.  Isner gets a tough draw with Andy Roddick in the next round, though Isner was able to push Roddick to 7-5 in the third in their match in Washington.

Tommy Haas DEU (20) def. Robert Kendrick USA 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(3) -- Haas looked sharp in what could have been a tricky opponent for him, as Kendrick once again was unable to produce his best tennis on a big stage, a phenomenon which has become the story of his tennis life.  He's in a tough section of the draw, facing Fernando Verdasco in the next round, and then potentially Andy Roddick.

Philipp Kohlschreiber DEU (23) def. Somdev Devvarman IND 6-3, 6-4. 0-6, 6-2 -- A rare four set win that includes getting bageled in the third, Kohlschreiber was able to hit through Devvarman's speed and defense, saving tennis fans from having to watch the Indian's mind numbingly boring game any longer.

Robin Soderling SWE (12) def. Marcel Granollers ESP 2-0 ret. -- Only two games into this match, Granollers clutched his back and threw in the towel.  Soderling looked incredibly confused, and kind of annoyed.

Women's Second Round Highlights:

Melanie Oudin USA def. Elena Dementieva RUS (4) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 -- The upset of the tournament, to be sure, saw 17-year old Melanie Oudin take out Elena Dementieva, who had come into the tournament as the clear second-favorite behind Serena Williams.  Dementieva had won Toronto just before, a tournament that included a thrashing of Serena, and had looked strong in her opening match.  But Oudin, hideous shoes and all, was unfazed, hanging with Dementieva the whole time and sending back ball after ball.  Even a thigh strain in the third set only seemed to give Oudin more motivation, as she closed out the match admirably. This is not totally uncharted territory for Oudin, as she did make the fourth round at Wimbledon already this year, but the spotlight on an American shines brighter in New York.  She, however, has nowhere near the cupcake draw the aforementioned Safina does, facing Maria Sharapova in the next round.

Yaroslava Shvedova KAZ def. Jelena Jankovic SRB (5) 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(6) -- The aggressive Shvedova played well, but Jankovic, who excels at defense, was right there the whole time.  Jankovic even had two match points, leading the third set tiebreak 6-4 before losing the last four points.  I never expected Jankovic to lose this one even as the last Shvedova winner was struck, given her nearly incomparable ability to hang in a match when not playing her best by becoming a backboard. Reports after the match about Jankovic's grandmother having died the night before explain a lot about this result, sadly.

Dinara Safina RUS (1) def. Kristina Barrois DEU 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 -- Top seed Dinara Safina again needed three sets to dispatch a marginal player, but at this time at least she was relegated to Louis Armstrong stadium.  She's playing like crap, but her draw couldn't be easier.  The seven other seeds in her quarter of the draw have now bowed out of her path, leaving her with a joke of a draw.  Here's how it will go the rest of the way.  Third round: Petra Kvitova; Fourth Round: Sara Errani or Yanina Wickmayer; Quarterfinal: Kateryna Bondarenko, Anastasia Rodionova, Gisela Dulko, or Yaroslava Shevdova. Safina practically had a tougher draw in that tournament in Slovenia she entered.

Maria Sharapova RUS (29) def. Christina McHale USA 6-2, 6-1 -- No longer having to worry about Dementieva in the next round, Sharapova looked incredibly sharp knocking out a 17-year old American, the type of player that did in Dementieva.  She should be the heavy favorite against Oudin, but the crowd will be totally against her.  Should she get through that one, she has a pretty nice draw.  She's the favorite to get out of the top half now, in my mind.

Anastasia Rodionova AUS def. Sabine Lisicki DEU (23) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 -- This match had about as bizarre an ending as I've ever seen.  After blowing a match point of her own, Lisicki was serving at 5-6 facing a match point for Rodionova.  A long rally ensued, during which Lisicki fell awkwardly and crumpled to the ground screaming and crying.  Rodionova put away a forehand as Lisicki fell, winning the point and the match.  Lisicki just laid there screaming and crying, as Rodionova walked halfway to her to see if there was anything she could do to help, before deciding she'd just do nothing instead.  Chair Umpire Lynn Welch hovered over Lisicki while the trainer took a long time to come.  Eventually Lisicki was carted off the court in a wheelchair, leaving sobbing but waving to the fans.