Djokovic, Ferrer Get Victories to Move on at US Open

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer had decisive victories in advancing at the US Open on Friday.

Djokovic’s 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Rogerio Dutra Silva of Brazil had no drama.

Djokovic was very pleased with his play. “It was different conditions today obviously from the first matches I played, the night session, “Djokovic said. “ I didn’t know much about my opponent.  Never saw him play.  So that could have been, you know, a difficulty at the start in order to figure out what his game plan is.  But I have played well, you know, from the start to the end.”

Spain’s Ferrer defeated Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (12).

Juan Martin Del Potro needed four sets to top 20-year-old American Ryan Harrison 6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

“He’s a powerful guy. He serves big and plays good offense,” Harrison said of the Argentine. “Any time the ball is up you’re usually running or watching a winner go by you. So, he played about as well as I expected him to, which is very good tennis. I had to play my best tennis to win, and I didn’t, so that’s why I lost.”

Del Potro talked about the third set. “I didn’t play like the first two sets in that third set, and he improved his game a little bit also.  It’s not easy when you have the control of the points all the match.  He’s very dangerous.  He has a big future, and he like to compete with all players.  He has the game to beat all of them also.”

Del Potro feels that he’s getting closer to being 100 percent healthy: “My first round and today was big challenge for me to see how my wrist is going and how my level is.  Always when you win matches everything is better.  I’m happy to go through to third round.  I will have another tough match in the third round against Mayer.  The tournament is get is worse every day and you have to be 100% from here to the rest.”

Another young American had a positive result at Flushing Meadows on Friday.

Wildcard Steve Johnson a Two-time NCAA singles champion, advanced to the third round with a with a 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.

“It kind of felt like, for me, kind of a college atmosphere,“ said Johnson.  “The crowd was cheering every point, and I could hear, you know, some of the people close to me in the stands and everything.  To know they’re all behind me was pretty special.”

Karen Pestaina is covering the US Open for Tennis Panorama News