US Open 2021: Rogers, Opelka, Brooksby triumph on Labour Day weekend, Djokovic wins

[caption id=“attachment_9939351” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] On America’s Labour Day weekend, there was reason to celebrate for the locals. Shelby Rogers came from 2-5 down in the third set to reel off four straight games against World No 1 Ashleigh Barty. In the tiebreak, Rogers won lengthy rallies to triumph 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 and move into the second week. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_9939341” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Reilly Opelka, with a huge serve coming in from a 6-foot-11 height, eased his way into the Round of 16. The 24-year-old has embraced the “serve-bot” moniker in what is his best result at a Grand Slam. He sent in 21 aces against Nikoloz Basilashvili to win 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 and has unseeded Lloyd Harris next. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_9939331” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Third American, Jenson Brooksby, didn’t have it easy. With a 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Aslan Karatsev, the 20-year-old Brooksby became the youngest American man to reach the last-16 in New York since Andy Roddick in 2002. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_9938821” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] While top-ranked woman Barty was sent packing, her male counterpart Novak Djokovic progressed. The Serb moved four victories from a calendar Slam with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Kei Nishikori. Djokovic now has a 18-2 record over Nishikori including 17 straight wins. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_9939321” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Four qualifiers have made the last-16 of US Open with Emma Raducanu the only woman among them. The Brit thumped Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 6-1 to repeat her Wimbledon feat of making the fourth round. Oscar Otte, Peter Gojowczyk and Botic Van de Zandschulp are the other qualifiers into the last-16. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_9939311” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] There was little trouble for other strong favourites. Bianca Andreescu, Karolina Pliskova, Matteo Berrettini, Iga Swiatek, Alexander Zverev all progressed into the second week at Flushing Meadows. AP[/caption]