By DPA
New York : Novak Djokovic stepped out on the big stage for the first time here, steady in a win that saw him through to the fourth round of the US Open tennis as he made a victim of Juan del Potro.
The third-seeded Serb stunned the rangy Argentine in an efficient 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 match Sunday night, losing serve while trying to close out the quick victory but breaking straight back to bring proceedings to an end under the lights.
“After playing almost five hours in the last round, it was difficult to recover,” the semi-finalist at the past two Grand Slam events said, “but luckily, I got the night session and experienced the largest court in the biggest tennis stadium for the first time. It was an experience.”
Rafael Nadal’s decision this week to play through knee pain paid winning dividends as the Spaniard advanced over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, 6-1.
Nadal confessed that he could barely train 24 hours earlier.
“Yesterday, I had pain,” the three-time French Open winner said Sunday. “I had to stop for the knee. I wasn’t able to take any anti-inflammatories yesterday. I can’t every day, but this morning I took some. When I go to practice today, I felt better. Not 100 per cent, but better.”
The second seed behind Roger Federer has determined to put his tendinitis problem aside in his title challenge.
The win in two hours, five minutes set up a fourth-round meeting with fellow Spanish seed David Ferrer, who beat David Nalbandian 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.
Nadal churned through a demanding first set before opening the floodgates against Tsonga. This was his 56th win in Grand Slam events against 11 defeats.
“I’m playing well,” said Nadal, adding: “Sure, it’s not easy (to) play like this. I’m very happy because when I go on court, I’m playing at a very good level. I can play so much better because I don’t think about the knee.”
Two Argentines advanced into the final 16 as Juan Chela upset Croatian number 12 Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 and Juan Monaco beat compatriot Agustin Calleri 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4.
Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, supported in his box by Federer’s parents, knocked out American Robby Ginepri 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in three and a half hours while Spain’s veteran Carlos Moya stopped German Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4.
Women’s third seed Jelena Jankovic overcame a crisis against Austrian Sybille Bammer before producing a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 recovery.
Jankovic is to line up against Venus Williams in a bid for revenge after the American put out fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic, 6-4, 6-2.
Top seed Justine Henin, improving with each match, started the second week with ease against Russian Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-2.
Serena Williams, playing for the first time since Wimbledon because of a thumb injury, ousted All England Club finalist Marion Bartoli of France 6-3, 6-4.
The younger of the Williams sisters, seeded eighth, had faced Bartoli only once before, winning in 2003 at Miami.
The new French number one, who replaced Amelie Mauresmo atop the national pecking order, was unable to impose as Serena Williams dictated in front of a home crowd in the fourth-round contest.
“A couple weeks ago, I wasn’t sure I was even going to be here,” Serena Williams said. “If my serve is feeling good, I know my game is good.”
Bartoli was playing in the round of 16 at Flushing Meadows after going out three times in the first round, including in the past two editions.
Serena confessed to a slow start: “I thought I started out well, but it just didn’t go the way I planned. But it worked out pretty good, I guess.”
After claiming the first set, the American produced a break for 3-2 and claimed victory with a pair of aces.