Day 6 and 7 at the 2012 US Tennis Open. Late Night Matches? Tough on Americans.
Saturday and Sunday at the 2012 US Tennis Open showed valiant attempts by Americans, but defeats with the exception of three Americans. Serena Williams easily breezed past Ekaterina Makarova Saturday at Ashe. Mardy Fish (23) defeated France's Gilles Simon (ranked 16) and Andy Roddick who, in an emotional, crowd screaming four setter, pulled out his glorious win (7-5, 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4) against Italy's Fabio Fognini, (ranked 59).
Fish took center stage at Ashe late Saturday evening after American Sloane Stephens faced disappointment at her first US Open career match, foundering after her brilliant initial set against Ana Ivanovic (12) from Serbia. Both Sam Querrey and Sloan Stephens won their first sets in a tiebreak. Querrey was doing well against Tomas Berdyich but then fell apart afterwards, 4-6, 3-6, 2-6 as Berdyich picked up momentum for the win. The same happened with Stephens who caved after Ivanovic bounced over her 6-4 and 6-2. Again and again, Americans took a set stopping their opponents and pleasing fans only to spiral down to defeats. Such was the case for James Blake, Jack Sock, Ryan Harrison, and Steve Johnson until only Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick and John Isner were left standing in the wings hoping to make it to the Men's Round of 16 and only Serena Williams was left to represent Women's Singles in this most celebrated of Grand Slams.
Out of the four Americans left to face fearsome opposition, only Serena Williams has the seasoning US Open wins: three times, the most wins of her fellow players who remain standing to compete this year. She has won the Australian and French Open and Wimbledon. She has the chops and chips to bring the fourth US Open win to her trophy case whereas out of the three men, only Roddick has US Open win experience, though it was a long time ago (2003). Fish and Isner never made it past the Quarter Finals.
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