US Open 2013 Day 10: Gasquet comes good amid routs
Wimbledon.com's highlights from the tenth day of play at the 2013 US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York...
THE UPSET
Richard Gasquet d. David Ferrer 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3
Good things come to those who wait. And so it proved, as Richard Gasquet reached only the second Grand Slam semi-final of his career, six years after his last, at Wimbledon 2007. On that occasion, Gasquet had trailed by two sets to love, before pulling off a remarkable comeback to beat Andy Roddick in five. On this occasion, Gasquet lead by two sets to love. Surely it would be plain sailing. But David Ferrer does not let things happen that way. The Spaniard grunted and ground his way back into the match, and, if you were the betting type, you would think it would be just like him to crush Gasquet's spirit, hopes and dreams, and pull off the win. But in most uncharacteristic fashion, the Frenchman held firm. That he did it on the back of a five-setter two days before, was all the more astonishing. "It is wonderful for me," he said simply.
CRUISING THROUGH
Rafael Nadal d. Tommy Robredo 6-0, 6-2, 6-2
The Arthur Ashe crowd almost twisting themselves up in their seats in embarrassment, Nadal was merciless in his 100-minute crushing of his compatriot, dropping just four games, not facing a break point, and looking so determined he would run you over in a heartbeat. It was the most one-sided US Open men's quarter-final since 1988, when Lendl d. Rostagno 6-2, 6-2, 6-0, and it moved even Nadal, as humble as he is sweaty, to admit he played pretty well.
"It was my best match of the US Open," he said. He is now 20-0 on hard courts in 2013. Can he make it two more?
Flavia Pennetta d. Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1
In another episode of not-a-contest was Pennetta's ousting of her longtime friend Vinci in 65 minutes to start the day's play. While Vinci was beset by errors, 28 of them, Pennetta fired down 23 winners, and won six out of 12 points.
Victoria Azarenka d. Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-2
Pennetta will next play Azarenka, last year's finalist, as she battered past 30-year-old Hantuchova with the usual amount of shrieks and screams, but a lot of determination too. She dropped her serve three times, admittedly, but also broke serve seven times, so while there is room for improvement, Azarenka never looked like losing.
Serena & Venus Williams
The unseeded but never count-out-able sisters keep on trucking, into the quarter-finals with a 6-1, 7-6(3) win over 11th seeds Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Safarova. Much like the Bryan brothers, they have an aura that seems to make opponents run the other way. So far that is. Next up for them are top seeds Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci, an altogether tougher proposition.
END OF THE ROAD
The Brits outside of Andy Murray. After Jamie Murray's loss in doubles yesterday, and Colin Fleming & Jonny Marray's on Monday, Dominic Inglot became the last Brit outside of Murray to depart the US Open. He and Treat Huey were beaten in the men's doubles quarters by Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo, the 10th seeds.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Q. Your ranking has improved a lot this year.
ROBERTA VINCI. Yes.
DID YOU SEE OF THE DAY
Richard Gasquet hit a drop volley so good it spun back and hit the net on Ferrer's side
TWEET OF THE DAY
Happy birthday, Beyonce! #imaginarybestfriends4life
@BrooklynDecker
STAT OF THE DAY
2
The number of sets Richard Gasquet had won against David Ferrer before today, in 21 tries.
COME BACK TOMORROW FOR
ARTHUR ASHE
12pm - Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan [1] v Leander Paes & Radek Stepanek [4]
NB 1.30pm - Andy Murray [3] v Stanislas Wawrinka [9]
7pm - Chris Evert & Monica Seles v Jason Biggs & Rain Wilson
NB 8pm - Novak Djokovic [1] & Mikhail Youzhny [21]
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
NB 12.30pm - Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci [1] v Serena Williams & Venus Williams
FB Ivan Dodig & Marcelo Melo v Alexander Peya & Bruno Soares [2]
FB Sania Mirze & Zheng Jie [10] v Ashleigh Barty & Casey Dellacqua [8]
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For all the reports and results from Flushing Meadows, visit the Official US Open website
