US Open PIX: Nadal, Osaka score quick wins

Andrey Rublev overcomes Nick Kyrgios in battle of big servers.

Images from Day 6 of the US Open, on Saturday.

Rafael Nadal cruised into the US Open fourth round with a business-like 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over Chung Hyeon on Saturday.

The three-time champion took control of the match when he broke the South Korean’s serve in the first set to grab a 4-2 lead and never looked back on a sunsoaked Arthur Ashe Stadium court as he booked a last 16 clash with Marin Cilic, who defeated John Isner 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(8-6), 6-4.

Nadal had been on court for just over two hours prior to his third round match after defeating John Millman in straight sets on Tuesday before getting a walkover into the third round when Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew.

The second seeded Spaniard, who has been hampered by troublesome knees throughout his career, did not wear his usual tape on his legs during the match.

"Tape is not working anymore," he said with a smile during his on-court interview.

"I am happy to be playing on hardcourts and I am trying to play a little more aggressive.

"I am happy to be in the fourth round ... that’s the only thing that matters to me. I can’t think farther than that."

Rublev sends Kyrgios packing

Nick Kyrgios's eventful US Open ended in the third round as Russian Andrey Rublev turned aside the fiery Australian 7-6(5), 7-6(5), 6-3 in a battle of big servers late on Saturday.

Rublev looked up to the task from the start and proved to be unflappable under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights against Kyrgios, who complained to his team in the box several times about not being able to see.

The Australian seemed to have no issues with his vision on serve, however, at one point firing four consecutive aces in a 40-second game to force a first-set tiebreak. He saved two set points before sending a backhand just wide to lose the opener.

Kyrgios got his first two break point chances while leading 3-2 in the second set but Rublev beat them both back.

The pair remained on serve to bring up another tiebreak and while Kyrgios jumped out to a 4-0 lead Rublev took seven of the next eight points to snatch the set and grab control of the match.

The final set remained on serve until Rublev got the break he needed and immediately consolidated for a 5-2 lead that sent him on his way.

Kyrgios lost despite powering down 30 aces to Rublev's 12 and winning almost 90% of his first-serve points while saving three of the four break points he faced.

After making headlines this week for both his comments and on-court behaviour, Kyrgios avoided controversy on Saturday but did shout "whistleblower" in the direction of a line judge who had gone to the chair umpire to report foul language.

Rublev will next face Italian Matteo Berrettini, who beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(3-7), 7-6(7-2) earlier on Saturday.

Osaka halts Gauff's run

Defending champion Naomi Osaka brought American teen Cori 'Coco' Gauff’s captivating US Open run to a swift end with a 6-3, 6-0 win to secure her spot in the fourth round.

The world number one, who backed up last year’s New York triumph with a win at the Australian Open but has since had an up-and-down season, simply overwhelmed her 15-year-old opponent in the marquee match-up under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights.

“For me, I think this was the most focused I’ve been since Australia,” Osaka said in an on-court interview, with Gauff standing beside her. “So, sorry for playing you with this type of mentality.”

Gauff, who stunned the tennis world by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, committed seven double faults and was error prone throughout the match.

Osaka set the tone early in the most hyped match of the tournament so far as the 21-year-old Japanese consolidated an early break for a 3-0 lead.

Gauff, in only her sixth Grand Slam match, then fired back-to-back aces to finally get on the board and from there the two exchanged breaks over the next four games before Osaka recovered from 0-30 to serve out the set.

Still unable to find any rhythm on her serve, Gauff made a pair of double faults en route to gifting Osaka a break to open the second set before the Japanese rallied back from 0-40 to consolidate for a 2-0 lead and then raced home from there.

At the end of the 65-minute match, Osaka approached an emotional Gauff at the side of the court, where the two embraced and spoke for a few minutes.

Zverev rallies past Bedene

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the fourth round of the US Open for the first time with a 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(3) win over Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene.

on Saturday.

The German, who is the next highest seeded player left in the bottom half of the draw after Nadal, won six of the last seven points in the final-set tiebreak to close out victory

The 22-year-old fired down 25 aces and won 80 percent of his first-serve points as he improved his head-to-head record with Bedene to 4-0.

Up next for Zverev, who could meet Nadal in the quarter-finals, is 20th seeded Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who beat American Tennys Sandgren 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

Andreescu overpowers Wozniacki in third round

Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu showed that she intends to be a formidable force in the women’s game with a 6-4, 6-4 win over former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the third round of the US Open.

Andreescu’s in-your-face style of tennis overwhelmed the Dane on a warm and sunny day on Arthur Ashe Stadium as she reached the last 16 on her US Open debut.

Next up for the 19-year-old Indian Wells and Rogers Cup champion is a meeting with American Taylor Townsend, who defeated Sorana Cirstea.

Goerges knocks out 7th seed Bertens

Germany’s Julia Goerges knocked out Dutch seventh seed Kiki Bertens with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Goerges smashed 18 winners and converted four break points to seal progress to the fourth round where she will face Croatia’s Donna Vekic.

Kontaveit withdraws from Open due to illness

Anett Kontaveit withdrew from the US Open singles on Saturday prior to her third-round match against Belinda Bencic due to an acute viral illness, organisers said.

The 23rd seeded Estonian is still eligible to play doubles, where she has reached the second round with Daria Kasatkina. 

Her withdrawal gives Bencic a walkover into the round of 16, where she will face top seed Naomi Osaka, who thrashed 15-year-old Cori 'Coco' Gauff, 6-3, 6-0 in their third-round match later on Saturday.