Venus and Wawrinka under the lights on Day Three
Originally published on 27/08/14
US Open, day three order of play
Play starts on all courts at 11am EST / 4pm BST unless stated otherwise
Arthur Ashe Stadium
Sloane Stephens (USA) [21] v Johanna Larsson (SWE)
Not before 1pm: Tomas Berdych (CZE) [6] v Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
Maria Sharapova (RUS) [5] v Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
Not before 7pm: Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) v Venus Williams (USA) [19]
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) [3] v Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)
Louis Armstrong Stadium
Shuai Peng (CHN) v Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [4]
Marin Cilic (CRO) [14] v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Jana Cepelova (SVK) v Simona Halep (ROU) [2]
Not before 5pm: Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [7] v Ryan Harrison (USA)
Grandstand
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [19] v Ivan Dodig (CRO)
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [9]
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [10]
Kenny De Schepper (FRA) v Ernests Gulbis (LAT) [11]
Match of the day: Tomas Berdych v Lleyton Hewitt
Remarkably, this is just the third meeting between former champion Hewitt and one-time Wimbledon finalist Berdych. The Czech holds a 2-0 head-to-head lead over the former world No.1, but their last encounter came in 2009, so hardly prediction fodder.
Hewitt is enjoying something of an Indian summer in 2014. The 33-year-old has two titles this season, one more than Berdych, but the No.7 seed’s best results of the season have all come on hard courts, including that run to the Australian Open semi-finals.
The Czech may bounce Hewitt out of the draw – but not without a fight. Should make for an entertaining early-evening contest in the UK.
Look out for: Venus Williams
She’s back, and she’s intent of making the most of it. Now 34, Venus Williams made it back into the top 20 shortly before the US Open – her first top-20 ranking since 2013 – and playing some of her best tennis in years.
Williams found herself in the increasingly rare position of junior player on court when she beat Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-3 6-3. With a combined age of 77, the veteran duo produced one of the most entertaining first-round contests at this year’s US Open
“I don’t think anybody thinks about age,” Williams said. “Because if you’re on the tour, it means you deserve to be here.”
Up next is Timea Bacsinszky, who trailed by a set before Kiki Bertens pulled out of their opener in New York. Williams won their only previous meeting; under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, she ought to manage a repeat.
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