US Open: Aisam, Rojer to face Harrisons in quarters

Pair registers straight-sets win; Roddick stretches farewell event.

NEW YORK: Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Dutch partner Jean-Julien Rojer will take on the unseeded American pair of Ryan and Christian Harrison in the quarter-finals of the US Open after a straight-sets win over Alex Bogomolov Jr and Raven Klaasen.

Aisam and Rojer, who earned walkovers in the opening two rounds, won 6-3, 6-4 to seal their match against the Harrisons who beat 14th-seeds Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins 6-3, 6-4.

Roddick stretches tennis farewell

In the men’s singles event, Andy Roddick stretched his long goodbye into a prime-time showdown with fellow former champion Juan Martin Del Potro. The American advanced to the fourth round with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-4 victory over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

“I’m trying to keep my emotions together, all the support I have received over the past few days has been truly humbling,” said 30-year-old Roddick.

Meanwhile, defending champion Novak Djokovic stormed into the last-16 after beating Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 without facing a single break point in his 97-minute victory.

Sharapova ends last-eight drought

In the women’s singles event, Maria Sharapova reached the quarter-finals for the first time since her 2006 championship run with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Nadia Petrova.

“I’m so happy to be in the quarters,” said Sharapova. “It has been so many years and it’s a great stage to be at.”

Sharapova will next face French 11th-seed Marion Bartoli, who beat Petra Kvitova 1-6, 6-2, 6-0, to book her first trip to the US Open quarter-finals at her 11th attempt. In other matches, Samantha Stosur beat giant-killer Laura Robson 6-4, 6-4 to set up a last-eight showdown with top-seed Victoria Azarenka, who ousted Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili 6-2, 6-2.

Andy Roddick

“I am trying to keep all of my emotions together. All the support I have received over the past few days has been truly humbling.”

 Victoria Azarenka

“As defending champion she will be motivated. I’m motivated as well. It’s my first quarter-final at the US Open and I’m looking forward to it.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2012.