Pablo Andújar, who was eliminated in the first round of the 2020 US Open, went for the second time in his career to the third after sweeping Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets (6-4, 6-3 and 6-1 in 2:05 ). The 35-year-old from Cuenca obtained his best result in the 2019 tournament, when he reached the eighth. This time it will be complicated, because quite possibly his rival will be the Russian Daniil Medvedev, number two in the world and the main threat to Djokovic.
But that will be on Friday, this Wednesday, Andújar enjoyed a great victory against a tough and fighter enemy that he beats 4-2 in the face to face, the four consecutive victories. Pablo cemented his triumph on good serve percentages and a good balance between winners and unforced errors (24 and 25). Also in his ability to save break points (5/6). Thus he prevailed over a Kohlschreiber who made 45 mistakes and served poorly.
Bautista remains steadfast
Roberto Bautista showed against the Finn Emil Ruusuvuori that what he showed against Kyrgios on Monday was not a flower of a day. The Castellón dispatched another solid match that he also won in three sets (6-1, 6-3 and 6-2 in 1:41) with a seamless performance and eight breaks that destroyed his rival. Rober reaches the third round of the US Open for the sixth time and will face a tall rival on Friday, the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who eliminated another Spaniard, Bernabé Zapata (7-6 (5), 6-3 and 6-2 at 2:13), with the support in the stands of Toni Nadal, who advises him these days in the Big Apple.
Bautista is very confident and has tennis and the category to beat Auger-Aliassime, a boy who seems willing to give him a fight and is willing, from the looks of it, to do it. It will be curious to see Uncle Toni in a duel with a Baptist whom he admires, but whom he will try to disarm with the advice he gives to his pupil. Zapata couldn’t do much to avoid elimination. The load of matches, three very tense in the previous one and two in the main draw, perhaps took its toll.
Pedro Martínez succumbs to Rublev
Another Spaniard who has already suffered from Russian power is New York is Pedro Martínez, who competed quite well, especially in the first two sets, against Andrey Rublev. (5th favorite), but succumbed to 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 6-1 and 6-1 at 2:52. A pity that the first set escaped him, when he had started it with a hopeful 3-0. The Muscovite, who dispatched 67 winners (18 from direct service), awaits a rival for the third round, which he reaches in New York for the fourth time: Tiafoe or Pella.
Results, table and schedules.