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Live Coverage: US Open - Day Three - Novak Djokovic vs. Andreas Haider-Maurer

Follow Sports Mole's live coverage of day three of the 2015 US Open at Flushing Meadows.
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Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the third day of the 2015 US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York.

World number ones Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will both be in action in the second round today, along with defending men's champion Marin Cilic.

Former champions Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal are also scheduled to feature.

The action will get underway from 4pm.


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Good afternoon. Day three of this year's 2015 US Open is just getting underway, with the top seeds from the men's and women's draws among those in action today.

If you missed some of yesterday's results, including Andy Murray's four-sets win over Nick Kyrgios and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova's comfortable first-round win, then you can find details of those matches on our tennis results page.

Most of the bigger names aren't in action until later, but there are still plenty of interesting ties coming up at the start of today's schedule. Young American Madison Keys is first up on the main Arthur Ashe court - she faced Tereza Smitkova of the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, retiring American Mardy Fish opens the day on Louis Armstrong, taking on 18th seed Feliciano Lopez. It's been a difficult couple of years for Fish with injury and health problems, and he's confirmed that this will be his last tournament.

Defending women's champion Serena Williams will continue her quest for the calendar grand slam later. The world number one, who is already the current champion at all four majors, will play Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in Arthur Ashe. She's scheduled to be the third match on the biggest court at Flushing Meadows.
Serena Williams of the US gestures during her match against Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia in the 2015 US Open Round 1 women's singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center August 31, 2015© Getty Images

The last match on today's schedule sees the top seed in the men's draw, Novak Djokovic, taking on Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria. The Serbian was in imperious form in his first-round match, dropping just three games in a straight-sets win over Brazil's Joao Souza.

French Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka was among the player in action yesterday. The Swiss player, who is the fifth seed for this tournament, beat Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas in three closely-contested sets, but he insists that he is happy with his performance.

Former US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka was unhappy with the umpire during her win over Lucie Hradecka yesterday. The Belarusian wasn't happy with some of Aurelie Tourte's calls.

American Madison Brengle has made a quick start to her match against compatriot Anna Tatishvili in the opening match of the day on the Grandstand court. The 25-year-old has already taken the opening set 6-3.

Controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios is already out, losing to former champion Andy Murray last night. The 20-year-old hit the headlines last month after making offensive comments about Stanislas Wawrinka's girlfriend during a match against the French Open champion, which resulted in him being fined and handed a suspended ban by the ATP. After his first-round defeat, he admitted that he is trying to learn from the incident.

British number two Aljaz Bedene booked his place in round two yesterday, progressing after Ernests Gulbis withdrew injured. The 26-year-old admitted that he was surprised to see his opponent pull out.

By next year, Arthur Ashe Stadium will have a fully-retractable roof in place. The structure is already over the court, and five-time champion Roger Federer believes that it will favour the top players.

19th seed Madison Keys has taken the opening set in her match, cruising to 6-1 against Tereza Smitkova. Mardy Fish has also made a strong start, clinching the opening set in his tie against 18th seed Feliciano Lopez. Seventh seed David Ferrer is also one of the players in action early on day three, and has secured a closely-fought first set against unseeded Serbian Filip Krajnovic.

RESULT! Madison Brengle is the first player to secure a place in round three as she has thrashed fellow American Anna Tatishvili 6-3 6-2 in a 55-minute match on the Grandstand court. She'll face either Estonia's Anett Kontaveit or 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the next round.

RESULT! There's good news for British fans from the men's doubles as Jamie Murray and partner John Peers have won their opening match of the tournament. The eighth seeds beat American duo Bjorn Fratangelo and Dennis Novikov 6-3 6-2.

Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski has been impressed with top seed Novak Djokovic's start to the tournament. The world number one cruised to victory over Joao Souza in the first round, and the former British number one senses that the Serbian is very confident.

RESULT! Madison Keys follows namesake Madison Brengle into the third round, taking just 54 minutes to dispatch Tereza Smitkova 6-1 6-2. She'll play either Magda Linette or 15th seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the next round.

Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was last on court last night, safely progressing to the second round. She'll play again tomorrow, but is grateful for the late-night support:


18th seed Feliciano Lopez has got back on level terms in his match against Mardy Fish, winning the second set 6-3. 27th seed Jeremy Chardy is going well in his match though, winning to first two sets against Martin Klizan. However, Belgium's David Goffin, who is seeded 14th, dropped the opening set against Ricardas Berankis. Meanwhile, 10th seed Milos Raonic has just got his match against Fernando Verdasco underway on Grandstand.

Second seed Simona Halep had an easy time in the first round, as her opponent retired injured. Three of the top 10 seeds in the women's draw weren't so lucky, losing in the first round. However, the Romanian believes that upsets are normal.

RESULT! Russia's Daria Kasatkina only found out that she would be playing in this year's US Open the day before competition began, replacing compatriot Maria Sharapova, who pulled out last minute with a leg injury. The 18-year-old is making the most of her opportunity, beating Ana Konjuh of Croatia in straight sets this evening.

Australia's Lleyton Hewitt will retire early next year, making this his final appearance at the US Open. The 34-year-old beat Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the first round, and says that he completed his gameplan "perfectly".

Andy Murray played under the newly-installed roof structure for the first time last night on the Arthur Ashe court, and the British number one admits that it has made a big change to the conditions.
Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts after scoring a point on Gilles Muller of Luxembourg during day four of the Rogers Cup at Uniprix Stadium on August 13, 2015© Getty Images

There are some interestingly-balanced matches taking place around Flushing Meadows at the moment. Mardy Fish has taken a 2-1 lead over Feliciano Lopez. If this is the be the final match of his career, the Spaniard will have to take him to a fifth set. Meanwhile, Raonic has taken the opening set in his match against Verdasco, and David Goffin has leveled his match against Berankis. Seventh seed David Ferrer is closing in on a place in round three though, securing a two-set lead over Krajinovic.

RESULT! 27th seed Jeremy Chardy is through to the third round, beating Slovakian Martin Klizan 7-5 6-4 7-6 this evening. He'll face the winner of the match between Ferrer and Krajinovic in the next round.

There's worrying news for Milos Raonic fans as the Canadian is getting treatment on the Louis Armstrong court. He's had injury problems with his foot in the build up to this tournament, and it looks like that's the area that is being worked on. He is a set up already though, so hopefully for him he can play through the pain.

American's Donald Young came from two sets down to beat Gilles Simon in front of his home crowd. The 26-year-old admits that the support from the fans helped him dig deep. He faces British number two Aljaz Bedene in the second round.

Australia's Bernard Tomic comes up against compatriot Lleyton Hewitt in the next round. The two have never played each other in a tournament, although they regularly practice together. The 24th seed is expecting a "fun" clash.

Milos Raonic appears to have overcome his injury concerns as he's now taken the second set in his tie with Fernando Verdasco. 14th seed David Goffin lost the second set against Ricardas Berankis, so will need to go five sets if he wants to overcome the Lithuanian. Mardy Fish just served for the match against Feliciano Lopez, but an error-strewn game let the 18th seed off the hook, while defending champion Marin Cilic has just taken the first set in his clash with Evgeny Donskoy.

RESULT! Seventh seed David Ferrer is through to the third round, defeating Filip Krajinovic of Serbia in straight sets. He faces Jeremy Chardy of France in the next round.
David Ferrer of Spain reacts against Radu Albot of Republic of Moldova during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2015© Getty Images

The all-Spanish match between Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta is going to a fifth set. Carreno Busta was a set up against the 23rd seed, before Bautista Agut won the next two. Meanwhile, Italy's Fabio Fognini, who is the 32nd seed in the men's draw, has taken the first set in his match against Pablo Cuevas.

Fifth seed Stanislas Wawrinka will face South Korean player Chung Hyeon in the second round, with both players coming through their first-round matches in straight sets. However, the Swiss player admits that he doesn't know much about the world number 69.'

Madison Keys was one of the first players to secure a place in the third round earlier today, defeating Tereza Smitkova in 54 minutes. The 19th seed, who is through to the third round at Flushing Meadows for the first time, admits that it is difficult to manage the pressure of expectation.

32nd seed Fabio Fognini appears to be heading for a comfortable win over Cuevas, having wrapped up the second set 6-4. 14th seed David Goffin is having to work much harder in his match, taking the fourth set 6-2 against Ricardas Berankis to take the match to a decider.

Mardy Fish has had a couple of chances to break Feliciano Lopez in the fifth set of their epic battle on the Louis Armstrong court. However, the retiring American is struggling with cramping, allowing the 18th seed to keep the deciding set on serve for now.

Milos Raonic was struggling with discomfort in his foot earlier in his match against Fernando Verdasco, needing help from the trainer. Although he's been able to play on, he's dropped the third set to the Spaniard.

RESULT! America's Mardy Fish's career has come to an end, with the 33-year-old losing in five sets to Feliciano Lopez. The crowd were right behind Fish throughout, but the long match took it's toll in the end, allowing Lopez to wrap the final few games up with ease. Read all about the highly-entertaining clash here.

RESULT! Another five-setter has come to a conclusion, with 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut coming from a set behind to beat Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6 6-4 6-0 2-6 6-4. His next opponent will also be coming through a five-setter, with the winner of the battle between Ricardas Berankis and David Goffin waiting in the third round.



RESULT! David Goffin has been pushed hard in his match against Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis, but the 14th seed has come through in five sets, setting up a meeting with Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round.

Elsewhere, 15th seed Agnieszka Radwanska has made a bright start to her match against fellow Polish player Magda Linette, taking the opening set 6-3, while defending men's champion Marin Cilic is just one set off a spot in the third round, taking the second against Evgeny Donskoy 6-3.

Former American number one Andy Roddick has been among the first to lead the tributes to Mardy Fish after he played the final match of his career, losing to Feliciano Lopez in five sets. Roddick has said that he "couldn't be prouder" of the 33-year-old.

Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko caused on of the upsets of the first round in the women's draw, beating sixth seed Lucie Safarova. If was their second meeting in just a couple of weeks, with Safarova beating Tsurenko in the semi-finals of the Connecticut Open, and the Ukrainian admits that she changed her serve for their latest encounter.

RESULT! 32nd seed Fabio Fognini has booked his spot in the third round, defeating Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas in straight sets. He'll face the winner of tonight's match between Rafael Nadal and Diego Schwartzman in the next round.

That's all from me today, but Callum Mulvihill will be here for the next four hours to keep you up to date with this evening's action.

RESULT! Thanks Sian. I begin my stint with good news for the defending champion in the men's draw. Marin Cilic has just secured his spot in the third round with a 6-2 6-3 7-5 victory over Evgeny Donskoy. Impressive from the 2014 winner!

Cilic's win means that Serena Williams is next up on Arthur Ashe as she prepares to meet Kiki Bertens. We'll bring you game-by-game coverage of that second-round clash right here.

The tributes to the now retired Mardy Fish are sure to keep on coming throughout the night.


You can now read the report of Cilic's triumph over Donskoy. Can the Croatian cause an upset again by successfully defending his title?

Marin Cilic of Croatia reatcs against Guido Pella of Argentina during their Men's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2015© Getty Images


Milos Raonic was forced to cancel a practice session earlier this week due to a back problem and he certainly seems to be struggling with at least one injury at the moment. He leads Fernando Veradasco 2-1, but is currently in a fourth-set tie-break against the Spaniard.

RESULT! Injuries? Forget about it! Raonic overcomes a tricky second-round test to beat Verdasco 6-2 6-4 6-7 7-6 thanks to a 7-1 triumph in the tie-break. He will meet Feliciano Lopez in the next round and it will be interesting to see how he recovers for that match.

It's time for Serena Williams to take centre stage now as she continues her bid to complete a sweep of this year's Grand Slams against Dutch number one Kiki Bertens. It looks like an easy win on paper, but the American will be desperate not to lose focus. Can she be stopped?

If you're not familiar with Bertens, you may recognise here name for all of the wrong reasons. At Wimbledon earlier this year she lost to Petra Kvitova in just 35 minutes. Surely we won't see a repeat of that emphatic defeat today. A good start for Bertens is imperative.

Here we go then. There's still a few people coming in for the biggest attraction of the day but both players are ready to go. Williams will serve first.

Bertens attempts to attack the opening serve from Williams, but she is wide with the return. The top seed gifts her opponent the next point with a double fault. Bertens is clearly looking to positive as she goes after the ball in a couple of longer rallies, but Williams holds to 30.

Confident start from Bertens, who comes to the net early in the game to ask questions of Williams and the American is a little bit off early on as she mistimes a couple of forehands. It's a great finish to the game as Bertens steps back to send Williams the wrong way with a superb backhand winner.

BREAK! Poor from Williams as she comes forward to meet a drop shot with ease, but with space down the line she goes at Bertens, whose volley gets her ahead before a double fault makes it 0-30. Bertens then defends well on the baseline to force Williams into another forehand, which drifts long to give the Dutch number on three break points. An ace reduces the deficit before Bertens comes forward to find the net with a forehand. Stunning! Williams appears to take charge of the key rally, but Bertens produces a brilliant forehand to beat Williams down the line. What a start for the underdog.

Williams takes the first point of the game, but a misjudged piece of footwork on the baseline allows Bertens to get level with a fine forehand. A couple of miscued forehands hand Bertens the 40-15 lead, before the first "Come on" of the evening arrives when Williams watches he rival go long. Another unforced error forces deuce. Bertens is in no mood to be bullied, though, as she produces another excellent forehand winner. Williams gets back to deuce once again before going long with a return. Bertens completes a vital hold.

The frustration is clear when Williams delivers a third double fault, but a lucky deflection off the net allows her to take control of the next rally to get level. There's a few cheers of encouragement from an American crowd who are certainly surprised by this start. Williams responds by coming to the net to meet a drop and Bertens is the one groaning when she finds the net with the volley. An unforced error from the top seed makes it 30-30, and wastes another slender advantage with a lazy backhand into the net. Williams doesn't look quite right early on, but a couple of unreturned serves earn her the hold.

You've got to give Bertens credit for this start. She's refusing to give Williams an inch of freedom from the back of the court and some more positive play allows her to take the first two points, before an unreturned serve makes it 40-0. Williams steps in to attack the second serve, but she strikes the net as Bertens holds comfortably.

The power is on show now. Williams takes the first point with an ace and moves ahead again with a powerful smash at the net. A similar shot follows and the fist pump is closely behind. Williams is starting to get fired up. The forehand is too hot to handle moments later and the world number one holds.

Much better from Williams as she finds the right angle with a return of serve to give Bertens no chance of staying in the point. Bertens comes back well with the next two points but an error allows her opponent to draw level. Williams does well to reach a serve down the middle, but Bertens steps in confidently to dispatch the powerful forehand before doing the same moments later to hold once again. She's one game away from taking the first set.

This is more of the dominant Williams we expect to see on Arthur Ashe. The feet are moving quicker as she hammers home a forehand winner, before stepping back to deliver another winner on that side. It's a quick hold thanks to an ace down the middle. Can she get the crucial break now?

Eugenie Bouchard and Grigor Dimitrov are underway in their respective second-round clashes, while Rafael Nadal is next up on Louis Armstrong against Diego Schwartzman. We'll continue to keep you updated on all of the big names.

BREAK! Chance for Williams as she opens up the point to take the opening point of the game, but she sends a forehand wide with plenty of the court to aim for. 15-15. A few nerves appear to be on display when Bertens delivers a double fault before finding the net to gift Williams two break points. Williams has the second serve to attack and Bertens cracks under pressure to fire a backhand wide of the line. Is that the underdog's best opportunity gone?

After that morale-boosting break, Williams surprises her army of supporters with a double fault before hitting back with two huge serves. The shock in the stands is back when another double fault follows but Bertens is beaten by the power once again as she sends a return of serve long. Incredible. A third double fault brings deuce and forces the supporters to rally behind the world number one for a few seconds. Williams responds with a lovely piece of tennis as she sends Bertens wide with a forehand before finishing her off with a superb volley. The game should be over when Bertens feeds another volley to Williams, who somehow manages to drift wide with 3/4 of the court to aim for after approaching the net. Another relieved clench of the fist arrives after a 125mph ace. What next? A double fault. Williams commits another unforced error to gift her rival a break point, but she finally survives a remarkable game to hold. The top seed may win this set but she is well short of her best at the moment.

Bertens gets herself out of early trouble with a brilliant defensive lob before Williams finds the net with a backhand. The aim is perfect a few seconds later as the world number one returns a second serve with a stunning backhand winner. Another second serve allows her to put the pressure on Bertens, who drifts a foot wide from the back of the court. Bertens should be punished for missing the first serve again, but Williams surprisingly finds the net while going cross-court with the forehand. A venture to the net ends with a powerful smash volley from Bertens and the tie-break is set up when Williams goes wide with a backhand.

SET! Brilliant start to the tie-break as Bertens returns with a powerful forehand and Williams can only stretch to send the ball long. It's soon 3-0 Bertens as a forehand clips the line, before an ace arrives on the second serve. Williams loses another point on serve with a lazy-looking backhand, but she does pull a point back to reduce the deficit. At 4-1, Williams responds to pressure well to get a mini-break back when Bertens fires a forehand a yard too long and a wild forehand from the underdog gets the tie-break back on serve. I'm not quite sure how, but Williams escapes with the first set. She wins five straight points, before Bertens cracks with the backhand to hit the net. The net helps Williams as the ball clips the line and Bertens can only go long to hand the opener to the top seed.

What an incredible start to this match! Williams has been well below-par, but Bertens wasted two great chances in the set to let the world number one off the hook. Bertens will also need another racket after throwing it to the ground in anger following the final point.

Dimitrov has made a disappointing start to his second-round match, with Mikhail Kukushkin taking the first set 6-3 in their meeting. Bouchard is on top in her test after winning the opener by the same score against Polona Hercog.

It's a worrying start to the second set for Bertens as Williams takes the opening two points quickly, before a forehand into the net makes it 30-15. Williams meets a second serve with a powerful backhand but Bertens goes one better to deliver a stunning winner. The defence is perfect in the next rally as Williams brings up break point when Bertens fails to respond to another brilliant backhand. A second serve is there to be dispatched by Williams, who goes too long to miss the opportunity. Bertens digs herself out of trouble and jumps back in a hole by following a forehand winner with a double fault. Eventually, she survives with another fine forehand. Crucial hold.

Easy work for Williams. The first is still not clicking as it usually does, but an ace in the middle of the game suggests that consistency is the only issue. A comfortable hold to love puts the pressure back on Bertens.

BREAK! A long forehand from Bertens is followed by a slice into the net as Williams takes a 0-30 lead for the second time in the set. Three break points are brought up when Williams steps into the second serve to delight the crowd with a fantastic backhand winner. Bertens then delivers a double fault at the worst possible time. Williams in charge now.

BREAK! Williams starts the game with her sixth ace, but is a few inches too long with a forehand with Bertens helpless on the other side of the baseline. A big mishit on the second serve sends the ball into the net halfway up. How do you respond? An unreturnable first serve at the body, of course. Bertens battles impressively to take the next two points to make it 30-40, and a double fault stuns the crowd as the underdog draws level.

BREAK! Superb work from Bertens as she hits back from 0-30 by following an ace with a passing forehand when Williams sprints towards the net. Bertens somehow manages to stay in the next point by getting to a backhand and a volley, but the forehand is too much as Williams celebrates an inch-perfect winner with a scream of relief. Bertens just seems unflappable, though, as she sends down another ace. However, a forehand into the net on deuce hands the break point to Williams, who regains the lead thanks to a double fault. Bertens is furious.


Much better from Williams, who finds some rhythm on serve and responds impressively in defence to race away from Bertens with a comfortable hold to love. Bertens is starting to attack a bit more, but it's the world number one in charge.

The forehand has been brilliant to watch from Bertens, who delivers a 10th winner with the stroke early in the game before Williams gets caught in an awful position and sends an awkward volley long. Bertens has impressed today, even if she loses. Williams hands her the game with a smash into the net.

Convincing stuff from Williams as she charges into the net to hammer home a forehand, but Bertens then gets on the front foot to force the top seed wide as she watches a stroke from the American go long. However, the confidence is clearer now for Williams, who is benefiting from her rival's attacking approach as a couple of wild strokes make it 40-15. An ace finishes the job. Williams is one game away from the third round.

GAME, SET AND MATCH! Williams loses the first point, but gets back on level terms when Bertens can only go long after a superb return of serve from the American. A double fault puts Williams ahead and two match points arrive via another double fault. Bertens saves he first by sending Williams the wrong way with a forehand winner, but a backhand drifts wide from the Dutch number one as the top seed clinches the win!

Well, that was certainly tougher than expected for Williams. There is no huge celebrations from the world number one. It's just a wave to the crowd after victory is confirmed. Williams certainly wasn't at her best and she'll be fully aware that better players will punish her if she does not improve on serve. Bertens battled impressively to make it tough and the difficult challenge could actually help Williams.

Serena Williams of the United States returns a shot to Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands during their Women's Singles Second Round match on Day Three of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2015 in the Flushin© Getty Images


"I've been really relaxed. Today I was a little tight and it showed, but hopefully I can get back to the way I was before," Williams reveals on court after setting up a third-round meeting with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Dimitrov is in big trouble now. Kukushkin has just taken the second set with a 7-2 triumph in the tie-break and Dimitrov must now win the next three to avoid an early exit. Can the Bulgarian produce some magic?

SET! Rafael Nadal is in the air celebrating. It never seems to be easy for the Spaniard these days. He had served for the opening set before being a mini-break behind in the tie-break, but he has come through to take the lead against Diego Schwartzman.

If you missed it earlier today, veteran American Mardy Fish brought his career to an end with a dramatic five-set defeat to Feliciano Lopez, but the Spaniard insists that his now retired rival was the better player on his final day as a pro.

Polona Hercog is refusing to lay down for Eugenie Bouchard. The Slovenian has hit back in their second-round clash with victory in the tie-break. Those two are headed to a decider. 25th seed Bouchard's inconsistent form is always a worry. Can she stay in the tournament?

Do you think Serena was happy to overcome the challenge from a plucky Bertens? Yeah, me too. Read Darren Plant's full report of the world number one's 7-6 6-3 win.

Serena Williams doubles over in ecstasy during her second-round match at the US Open on September 2, 2015© Getty Images


Nadal may have taken the opener, but he is in a bit of trouble now with Schwartzman a break ahead early in the second set. The Argentine underdog can certainly sense an opportunity in NYC today.

A quick reminder that there is still so much to come today. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Venus Williams are among the players still to play tonight, while we will also have game-by-game coverage of Novak Djokovic's clash with Andreas Haider-Maurer later on.

On her day, Dominika Cibulkova is a match for anyone on tour. The Slovakian has just beaten Jessica Pegula 5-7 7-5 6-3. She will meet Bouchard or Hercog in the next round at Flushing Meadows.

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia celebrates match point against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during their Women's singles 2015 US Open round 1 match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center August 31, 2015© Getty Images


It has been confirmed that Andy Murray will stay on Arthur Ashe for tomorrow's meeting with Adrian Mannarino. He will be on court at around 8.30pm (BST) and you can follow that match with Sports Mole. Check out Thursday's highlights now.

Murray is expected to produce a strong challenge in New York this year, but he is certainly not taking the "tricky" Mannarino lightly ahead of their meeting. Mannarino has reached the third round of the US Open in the last two years.

Dimitrov is back in it! The Bulgarian is 2-1 behind now after winning the third set 6-2 against Kukushkin. Can Kukushkin recover from that setback? It could be tough to halt Dimitrov's momentum.

SET! Nadal is starting to delight the New York crowd with some excellent tennis as he fights back from a break down to take the second set 6-3. He leads 2-0 and looks to be on course for a comfortable win now.

Rafael Nadal dressed as a promiscuous lime during round two of the US Open on September 2, 2015© Getty Images


Mardy Fish is not going to go down as one of the greats, but he has certainly won a lot of supporters over the years. Even golfers are chipping in (sorry!) with their congratulations on the day of his retirement.


RESULT! Bouchard is through. It hasn't been an easy day for the Canadian, but she progresses with a 6-3 6-7 6-3 victory over Hercog. Can she clinch that maiden Grand Slam title? Cibulkova is up next for the 25th seed.

How do you respond to a second-round win? Well, when you're Serena Williams and delivered 10 double faults on the way to victory, you get back out on the practice court to work on the serve.


Bouchard survived an almost inevitable rough patch in her win over Hercog. Read Darren Plant's full report to see how the Canadian overcame her troubles to progress.

Tsonga is set to begin his match against Marcel Granollers soon. The Frenchman, who is seeded 19th for the tournament, has the ability to go head-to-head with anyone but he has reached the last eight of the US Open just once. He'll be desperate to far this year.

SET! Dimitrov was two sets behind, but he is now level after claiming the fourth set 6-4 with a break in the 10th game. Kukushkin is struggling to dictate the tempo in the way he was early in the match. Can the Kazakh find his form in the decider?

Will the smile still be there when Bethanie Mattek-Sands meets Serena Williams on Friday?


Belinda Bencic recorded a shock win over Serena Williams on the way to triumphing at the Rogers Cup last month, and the 18-year-old looks certain to be a future start of the game. However, the 12th seed is in trouble after losing the first set 7-5 against Misak Doi.

Tommy Robredo is currently in action and it's good news so far for the experienced Spaniard, who took the opener 6-4 against Sam Groth. The two players have shared eight games in the second set.

RESULT! Success for the two-time champion. Rafael Nadal faced difficulties in every set, but he has displayed his resilience to the NYC crowd to record a 7-6 6-3 7-5 victory over Diego Schwartzman. He will meet Fabio Fognini in round three.

Rafael Nadal in action during the second round of the US Open on September 2, 2015© Getty Images


Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal have both been victorious this evening, but there is so much more to come, including world number one Novak Djokovic, who meets Andreas Haider-Maurer. My spell on the blog has come to an end. It's time for Simon Sinclair to keep you entertained!

Evening all! We still have a lot of action to come this evening as world number one Novak Djokovic is expected to take to the court in less than two hours. I'll also be bringing you updates of the matches involving Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Grigor Dimitrov, who is currently in the final set of his clash against Mikhail Kukushkin.

As Callum mentioned, Rafa Nadal has prevailed over Diego Schwartzman to reach into the third round of the competition. To find out all the details of his showdown, read our report of the action here.

Serena Williams came through her match against Kiki Bertens to stay on course in her quest to win all four Grand Slams this year. The American was given a slight scare by Bertens in the first set, but she rallied to take it on a tie-breaker, while she cruised to victory in the second set.

She told BBC Sport: "It definitely doesn't worry me. I think being down a lot, I know I can try to make a comeback."

Serena Williams doubles over in ecstasy during her second-round match at the US Open on September 2, 2015© Getty Images


In case you were wondering why Serena has been so dominant in her career, 21 major titles and counting. Here she is on the court practicing her serve for her next contest hours after her victory over Kiki Bertens. Commitment.



UPDATE! Dimitrov is on the verge of exiting the tourament as Mikhail Kukushkin is serving for the match on court number 17.

RESULT! Kukushkin has done it! The 27-year-old has served out for the match to clinch his place in the third round of the US Open by defeating Grigor Dimitrov in five sets 6-3 7-6 2-6 4-6 6-4. The Kazakh will now face defending champion Marin Cilic.

SET! Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has put a marker down in his match against Marcel Granollers by taking the first set of their clash 6-3 in 35 minutes out on the Grandstand.

Mardy Fish has admitted that he was not going to leave the court until he had played his match against Feliciano Lopez out to its entirety. The American ended his career with a defeat to the Spaniard, but insisted on playing the final two sets of the match, despite struggling with his movement around the court.

He told the ATP Tour's website: "I wasn't quitting. I was just cramping. I mean, both sides of both legs, if I moved anywhere close to three or four steps, two or three steps, it would go. You would have had to carry me off the court. I was definitely not stopping at that point."

Mardy Fish of the United States walks off of the court after losing his Men's Singles Second Round match against Feliciano Lopez of Spain on Day Three of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2015 in the Flus© Getty Images


Mikhail Kukushkin displayed great resilience to reach the third round by holding his composure to fend off a comeback from Grigor Dimitrov. Find out how the world number 56 progressed into the last 32 by reading our report here.

Some clever people have been watching Andy Murray practice ahead of his clash Adrian Mannarino tomorrow. Check out this cool video of the Scot's serve.



Everyone's favourite outspoken Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has shown his softer side by congratulating Mardy Fish following his retirement from the game.



Rafael Nadal has said that winning the first set of his match against Diego Schwartzman was key to his victory in their second round clash.

He told ESPN after the match: "That first set was very important, with these humid conditions I think that I was playing very aggressive, playing at a very high level so that first set was very important for me."


SET! Venus Williams has take the first set 6-3 of her match against compatriot Irina Falconi. The two-time champions has been in solid form during the set and will be looking to book her place in the third round by closing out with a victory in the second set.

SET! Number 12 seed Belinda Bencic has staved off three match points in her match against Miskai Doi to send the match in a third-set decider. The Swiss won the tie-breaker 7-3 after losing the first set 7-5 to leave the match delicately poised on court number 11.

SET! Action coming thick and fast now! Tsonga has compounded his advanatage of Granollers over on the Grandstand to take a two-set lead in the match courtesy of a 6-4 victory in the second set.

News from Briton's number one Andy Murray and he has spoken about his encounter against Adrian Mannarino in the second round of the US Open.

He told BBC Sport: "He's a tricky player. "He's a lefty. He hits the ball extremely flat off both sides and has very short, compact swings, excellent timing.

"He's also quick, a good athlete with very good hands. He's a talented guy."


Nick Kyrgios has been busy on the old Twitter today. He has now handed out praise for Andy Murray following the Scot's triumph over the 20-year-old in the first round clash. Read more about it here.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia celebrates a point in his fourth round match against Andreas Seppi of Italy during day seven of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2015© Getty Images


SET! Ekaterina Makarova has taken the first set of her clash against Lauren Davis by a 6-1 scoreline. The 2014 semi-finalist dropped just five points in the set!

RESULT! Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has secured his place in the third round of the competition with a straight-sets win over Marcel Granollers 6-3 6-4 6-3. The Frenchman will now face Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky in the last 32.

BREAK! Irina Falconi has prevented Venus Williams from serving out for the match in their clash. The American managed to break her opponent to extend the second set, leaving the scoreline at 5-5.

RESULT! Belinda Bencic saved three match points in the second set and has now managed to battle past Misaki Doi in three sets 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-3. The number 12 seed will now face the winner of the match between Venus Williams and Irina Falconi in the third round.

RESULT! Ekaterina Makarova has not taken long to seal her place in the third round of the tournament. She has taken the second set 6-2 following up from her efforts in the first set. The number 13 seed will face Elina Svitolina in the third round.

Russia's Ekaterina Makarova celebrates winning her women's singles match against Romania's Simona Halep on day nine of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 27, 2015© Getty Images


Here's our recap of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's win over Marcel Granollers. A pretty emphatic win for the Frenchman.

SET! The comeback is on for Irina Falconi against Venus Williams. The 25-year-old came back from a break down to send the match into a tie-breaker, and she upped the quality of her game to take the set with ease.

Andy Murray believes that his first round opponent at the US Open Nick Kyrgios will improve with experience. The British number one defeated the 20-year-old in four sets, and feels that the Australian will become a tougher challenge when he adjusts his shot selection.

Murray told reporters: "That obviously is a poor shot selection, which would suggest maybe he's not concentrating that well at that point. That's where you have to realise that and just try to play solid at that moment.

"I think that's something that comes with playing hundreds of matches on the tour, playing against a lot of different players, different personalities, you understand those moments better in the match."


Belinda Bencic reached the third round of the tournament courtesy of a comeback victory over Misaki Doi. Read here to find out how the number 12 seed achieved the feat.

RESULT! Andreas Seppi has clinched his place in the third round. The number 25 seed has defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili in four sets 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 6-1 to secure a showdown against either world number one Novak Djokovic or Andreas Haider-Maurer.

 Andreas Seppi in action against Mikhail Youzhny during the Monte Carlo Masters second round on April 16, 2014© Getty Images


RESULT! Venus Williams has finally seen off the challenge of Irina Falconi to book her place in the third round courtesy of a 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 scorline. The 35-year-old will now play Belinda Bencic in the last 32.

Venus Williams of the United States returns a shot against Monica Puig of Puerto Rico during her Women's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2015© Getty Images


Stephen Topping is quick on the beat with his report of the action from Arthur Ashe. For more details of Venus's triumph over Falconi, click here.

Now we can turn our attention to the clash between the world number one Novak Djokovic and Andreas Haider-Maurer on Arthur Ashe. The two players have met just once before when the Serb cruised to 6-4 6-0 victory at Monte Carlo earlier this year.

The players are making their way to the court now, so we should be underway very shortly.

Djokovic has been in excellent form throughout the year with his Grand Slam wins at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. The Serb has failed to win the US Open since 2011 so he will be determined to end his four-year drought for a title at Flushing Meadows.

Haider-Maurer's best performance at the US Open came in 2013 when he reached the second round. The 28-year-old has never progressed beyond the round of 64 at a Grand Slam in his career, and he faces a huge challenge to break that record today.

Here we go, Djokovic will begin on serve.

Solid start for Djokovic as he comes to the net to drill a ball at the feet of the Austrian, who tries to lob the world number one only to see his shot go wide of the line. Djokovic plays the ball well across the court to earn a further two points, but the 28-year-old rallies with a fine shot at the feet of the Serb to get into the game. However, Djokovic produces a cross-court forehand to win the game.

The Austrian begins with a solid service game as he powers a couple of serves down the 'T' to put the Serb under pressure. Haider-Maurer manages to take a 30-0 lead before Djokovic gets on the board, but two a couple of loose shots from the world number one hand the Austrian the game.

Straight forward hold for Djokovic. The Serb takes an early lead, but the Austrian gets a tad unlucky to see a powerful forehand miss by millimetres on the baseline, and he cannot get his rhythm back as Djokovic prodcues two winners to secure a love service game.

Haider-Maurer continues his strong start on his serve with a powerful effort to put the Serb on the back foot to take a 15-0 lead and Djokovic then goes long with a forehand on a return. The 28-year-old almost throws his racquet to the floor when he goes long with a forehand, but manages to secure the hold with a couple of solid forehands.

Djokovic is into his rhythm on serve and the Austrian has no answer for his accuracy as he fails to hit the ball inbounds on his returns. The world number one find his accuracy on his forehand to secure the hold with a couple of winners down the line. Confident start from the Serb.

No chink in the armour of either player on serve yet as Haider-Maurer continues to send down rockets which Djokovic has not been able to get a grip on yet. The duo have the rally of the game as Djokovic goes for a drop shot, but Haider-Maurer reacts quickly only for the Serb to show his skills by keeping the rally alive. However, the Austrian re-adjusts his body to smash the winner.

Solid as a rock from Djokovic as he produces four fine serves to take the game. Haider-Maurer does his utmost to try to get the ball over the net, but the power and accuracy of the serves from the Serb are too much for him to handle.

A mistake from the Austrian allows Djokovic to take the first point of the match, but Haider-Maurer storms back into the game with the use of his powerful forehand to force the crucial errors from the world number one. He earns two game points and the Serb is unable to slice his backhand back over the net to give the game to the 28-year-old.

An even contest between the duo on Djokovic's serve as the Austrian hits a couple of fine forehands down the line to keep him in the game, but the Serb produces the quality when he needs to to earn the victory. Pressure on Haider-Maurer now to stay in the set.

SET! Djokovic seizes the initiative as he produces his best tennis of the match to take the attack to the Austrian. He takes 30-0 lead before benefitting from a slice of luck as his forehand clips the top of the net and bounces agonsingly over to secure three break points. The Serb then produces a fine lob which just has enough to get over the top of the Austrian's raquet to clinch the set. A true sign of a champion to show the killer instinct.

Djokovic is into his stride now and displays his confidence with a love service game, which includes two aces. Haider-Maurer is powerless to do anything against the Serb in that game. Excellent tennis from the world number one.

BREAK! Clinical from Djokovic as he produces an excellent array of grounstrokes to put the Austrian under pressure, earning two break points after he wins an intense rally with a delicate backhand down the line. Haider-Maurer responds with a great drop shot which the Serb hammers into the bet, but once again the world number one showcases his quality by manoeuvring the 28-year-old across the court before smashing a winner.

Haider-Maurer takes the attack to Djokovic and produces two fine shots to edge ahead in the game 30-15, but he lets himself down by hammering a forehand into the net. The world number one displays his killer instinct by punishing the Austrian with an ace out wide and then Haider-Maurer commits an error when he slices his backhand wide of the line to hand Djokovic the game.

A crucial hold for Haider-Maurer! Djokovic ups the ante by winning the first two points of the game with two excellent shots down the line, but Haider-Maurer responds by levelling the scores at 30-30 with a solid forehand at the Serb's feet. However, another unforced error from the Austrian hands the world number a chance to break, but Haider-Maurer comes back with an ace down the 'T' on his second serve. Haider-Maurer secures an important hold as Djokovic commits two poor errors to hand the Austrian the game.

Imperious form from Djokovic as he fires a bullet of a forehand at Haider-Maurer to race into a 40-0 lead, but it takes him a further three points to secure the hold as the Austrian repels his power with a quality defence. However, the Serb is eventually able to undo the defences of the 28-year-old to take the game.

BREAK! Djokovic breaks again and Haider-Maurer's confidence is starting to drain as he commits a double fault to allow the Serb to secure the game. The world number one's groundstrokes put the Austrian on the back foot and he was able to ease to victory.

SET! Djokovic secures the second set with a flourish as he fires a backhand into the open court after working Haider-Maurer over to the right off his serve. An excellent finish by the world number one, who looks certain to see this match out in three sets.

Quick changeover as Stephen Topping will take the reins for the third set.

Thanks Simon! Djokovic is looking really impressive here, finishing the first two sets after just one hour. Can he get the job done in the third?

Djokovic went close to yet another break of serve with an impressive forehand response to go 30-15 up, but Haider-Maurer recovered to hold his serve. The Serb was unlucky not to take another game, but the Austrian appears to be delaying the inevitable for now.

Lightning paced stuff from Novak! The Serb produces an impressive ace on his way to taking the game as Haider-Maurer was unable to cope with the serve of his opponent.

BREAK! I think Novak wants an early night here - some impressive play from the baseline had looked to have given the super Serb yet another break, but his opponent recovered from 40-15 down, including an ace to level the points. Djokovic was soon presented with a fourth break point though, and after a short rally he found the corner of the court with a sweet backhand shot to gain an advantage in the third set.

Another game for Djokovic, who is really looking unstoppable right now, particularly with his forehand. Haider-Maurer did produce a moment of magic to entertain the crowds though, taking the score to 30-30 with a delightful volley across court. Novak recovered though, and looks on course for victory in the third.

Haider-Mauer takes another game with some very useful serving and a couple of errors from the man in control. Djokovic will be content to bide his time though.

Impressive stuff from Djokovic, as the world number one produces a superb backhand winner to go 30-0 up before rounding the game off with an ace. The Serb is coasting to victory here it seems...

BREAK! This could be it folks! A brilliant volley at the net wraps up another break for Djokovic, and the world number one - who has dominated this game from the very beginning - is just one game away from progressing to the third round at Flushing Meadows.

GAME SET MATCH! Was there ever any doubt? Novak Djokovic has produced one of the best performances of the round with a comprehensive victory over Andreas Haider-Maurer in straight sets. The Serb had three match points for the match, but needed only one as his opponent made an error. Novak is through!

This has been some performance from Novak Djokovic. The world number one was ruthless, with an impressive 27 winners delighting the fans in New York.

Novak got this one done in just over an hour and a half, and has truly signalled his intention for the tournament tonight. Andreas Seppi is next for Novak in the third round.

Bizarre scenes at the Arthur Ashe! Djokovic celebrates his win by busting some terrible moves halfway through his post-match interview.

In case you missed that...



And on that rather weird note, we come to the end of Sports Mole's coverage of the third day at the US Open! Thanks for your company over the last thirteen hours, don't forget to join us again from 4pm for all the action from day four at Flushing Meadows. Goodnight!

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Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts against Benoit Paire of France during their Men's Single First Round match on Day One of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, 2015
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