Djokovic, Murray in quarter-final showdown

Nishikori through, Serena reaches first grand slam last eight in 2014.

NEW YORK: Former champions Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray booked a tantalising US Open quarter-final duel on Monday with straight-sets fourth-round victories.

World number one and top seed Djokovic didn't let Philipp Kohlschreiber stand in the way of another Grand Slam last-eight appearance, defeating the 22nd seed from Germany 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 on another oppressively muggy New York day.

Eighth-seeded Murray advanced with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-5, 6-4 victory over ninth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, avenging a loss to the Frenchman in the Toronto Masters last month.



Djokovic and Murray boast a long rivalry, in which the Serb owns a 12-8 record. They are 2-2 in Grand Slam finals, including Murray's triumph over Djokovic in the 2012 final at Flushing Meadows for his first major crown.

"Tough match," said Murray of the looming contest. "We've had a lot of long ones. We played a long one here a few years ago — I have great memories from that match."

Djokovic reached his 22nd straight Grand Slam quarter-final, a run that stretches back to Kohlschreiber's victory over him in the third round of the 2009 French Open.

"I'm very glad obviously that I had so many consecutive quarter-finals of Grand Slams,” said Djokovic.

Meanwhile, Japan's Kei Nishikori worked late, very late, to earn a quarter-final berth with a five-set win over Milos Raonic that equalled the latest finish for a match in US Open history — 2:26 am local time on Tuesday morning.

Nishikori, the 10th seed, defeated the fifth-seeded Canadian 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-4 to set up a meeting with Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka.

Relieved Serena makes it to quarter-finals

Five-time champion Serena Williams reached her first grand slam quarter-final of 2014 at the US Open Monday but Canadian poster girl Eugenie Bouchard, struggling in the heat and humidity, was knocked out.

World number one Serena, the two-time defending champion, eased past world number 50 Kaia Kanepi, 6-3, 6-3, for a fourth win over the Estonian and goes on to face fellow 32-year-old Flavia Pennetta of Italy in a clash of the two oldest remaining players in the draw.

"It's my first quarter-final of the year at the majors — at last I did it," said the American, who had fallen in the fourth round in Australia, the third round at Wimbledon and suffered a second round French Open exit.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2014.

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