Ana Konjuh defeated fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-4, Ivo Karlović lost to sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori 3-6, 4-6, 6-7
The youngest player left in the US Open singles tournament, Ana Konjuh, staged the surprise of the day in Flushing Meadows on September 5, 2016. She played in a manner of the experienced player and beat the fourth-seeded Polish Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets.
Konjuh, the 2013 US Open Juniors Girls’ champion, went for shot after shot and gave Radwanska little chance to use her variety, hitting 38 winners to only 27 unforced errors in her 6-4, 6-4 victory.
In the first set, Konjuh struck 15 more winners than Radwanska, and the story did not change much in the second set, in which the margin was 14.
A loud noise burst through the air in the stadium while Konjuh was serving for the match, but nothing could unsettle her, as Radwanska could not put a return over the net at 40-15, sending Konjuh to the next round.
“I remembered Wimbledon, I had two match points there,” said Konjuh, who in fact lost three match points in that clash with the same opponent. “I was like, ‘I’m not going to do it here, I’m not going to let the opportunity go.’ So I just went for it this time.”
The Croatian teenager has proven that she has a bright future. But for her, the future is now, as she will play tenth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinal of the final Grand Slam of the year. The two have never played, but both will be in uncharted territory when they take the court in the final eight as neither of them had ever made the round of 16 at a Grand Slam before this US Open.
The oldest player in the US Open singles tournament, Ivo Karlović, lost to Japanese Kei Nishikori in straight sets. The Japanese star was too good for the Croatian veteran this time.
Nishikori earned the first break of the match to lead 3-1 and held that slight advantage the rest of the way. The Japanese star dropped only two points on serve (both double faults) in taking the opening set. The second set was nearly identical to the first, with Nishikori grabbing a single break of serve in the opening game and dropping just three points on his serve to take a commanding two-set lead.
The first potential shift in momentum came with Nishikori serving at 4-5 in the third set. Karlović earned his first two break points (and set points) of the match, but they were quickly erased. Nishikori eventually went on a tear in the tiebreak, winning the first six points and finally making good on his fifth match point.
Dr. Ivo was on the receiving end of the standing ovations while leaving the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, and it is to be written down in history that the Karlović – Nishikori match was the last played at that venue, as the new stadium will be built on the site.
