U.S. Open: Nadal uses 'tweener' to advance to 4th round
Wozniacki, Djokovic advance in earlier action
With a spectacular 'tweener' lob to get to match point, Rafael Nadal easily won again at the U.S. Open to reach the fourth round for the first time since winning the 2013 title.
Nadal was troubled only by his six double-faults during a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over 47th-ranked Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia on Friday night and has won all nine sets he's played this week.
The owner of 14 Grand Slam trophies, including two at Flushing Meadows, Nadal hadn't been to the fourth round at any major tournament since the 2015 French Open.
Closing in on victory against Kuznetsov, Nadal raced toward the baseline and, his back to the net, flicked a lob through his legs, eventually taking that point. When it ended, Nadal punched the air and spread his arms wide, pumping his fists.
During his on-court interview afterward, Nadal said he was lucky the trick shot went in.
Wozniacki continues comeback
Two-time U.S. Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki has reached her first Grand Slam round of 16 since 2015 Wimbledon.
Her ranking down to No. 74 after an ankle injury and on-court struggles, the former world No. 1 beat Monica Niculescu 6-3, 6-1 on Friday in New York City. It's the first time since January she's won three matches at the same tournament.
Against the 58th-ranked Niculescu, who presents an unusual style with a forehand slice, Wozniacki played more aggressively than her normal defensive game. Wozniacki is now 7-0 against the Romanian, who was trying to equal her best performance at a major by reaching the round of 16.
Djoker rolls on
Novak Djokovic got another free pass at the U.S. Open, advancing when his third-round opponent, Mikhail Youzhny, stopped because of injury after only six games.
This came Friday, two days after the man defending champion Djokovic was supposed to play in the second round, Jiri Vesely, withdrew a couple of hours before that match because of inflammation in his left forearm.
Youzhny quit after only 31 minutes while trailing Djokovic 4-2. Earlier, Youzhny received treatment from a trainer for what appeared to be a back problem.
The No. 1-seeded Djokovic moved into the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the 10th consecutive year.
Baghdatis eliminates Harrison
Marcos Baghdatis beat Ryan Harrison 6-3, 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-1 to move into the round of 16 at the U.S. Open on Friday, ending the run of the American qualifier who had pulled off the one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Harrison had reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time when he defeated the No. 5 seed and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic on Wednesday.
For the 44th-ranked Baghdatis, the victory ends a nine-match losing streak in Grand Slam third rounds.
Sock stomps ex-champ Cilic
American Jack Sock eliminated 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
The 26th-seeded Sock won 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, taking all 14 of his service games and never facing so much as one break point. And he handled the Croatian's big serve just fine, breaking the No. 7-seeded Cilic on four occasions.
The 23-year-old Sock's only previous trip to the second week of a Grand Slam tournament came when he got to the fourth round of the 2015 French Open.
Kerber overcomes American qualifier
Second-seeded Angelique Kerber ended 17-year-old American qualifier CiCi Bellis' stay at the U.S. Open in the third round.
Kerber, who has a chance to overtake Serena Williams at No. 1 in the rankings at tournament's end, beat Bellis 6-1, 6-1 in Friday's last match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Kerber will face two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova on Sunday for a quarterfinal berth.
Vinci conquers 3rd-round foe
Roberta Vinci, last year's U.S. Open runner-up, didn't drop a game in the first set, failed to serve out the match in the second, then hung on in the third to keep another run at Flushing Meadows going.
The seventh-seeded Italian needed nearly two hours to top 102nd-ranked Carina Witthoeft 6-0, 5-7, 6-3 in the third round.
Edmund pulls off upset
Kyle Edmund has upset 20th-seeded American John Isner at the U.S. Open for his second win over a top-25 player in three matches.
The 21-year-old Edmund won 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) on Friday. He was playing in the third round at a major for the first time.
Edmund beat 13th-seeded Richard Gasquet in the first round. Next up: No. 1 Novak Djokovic.