New York: Roger Federer and Andy Murray coasted into the US Open fourth round on Saturday as Canadian poster girl Eugenie Bouchard suffered a potentially tournament-ending head injury in a freak fall.
Bouchard was facing a battle to make her scheduled last-16 clash with Italy’s Roberto Vinci on Sunday after injuring her head in a fall in the women’s locker room on Friday. The 21-year-old Canadian withdrew from the women’s and mixed doubles tournament on medical advice.
Five-time champion and world number two Federer claimed a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber, his 10th win in 10 meetings against the 29th-ranked German. Murray, seeded three and the New York champion in 2012, brushed aside Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 for his 40th career win at the US Open.
Two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka, the 20th seed, triumphed over 11th-seeded German Angelique Kerber -5, 2-6, 6-4 in an Arthur Ashe Stadium thriller lasting almost three hours.
Fifth seed Stan Wawrinka, the French Open champion, made the last 16 with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 win over Belgian world number 107 Rubens Bemmelmans.
Romanian second seed Simona Halep reached the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-3 win over American qualifier Shelby Rogers. Next up for Halep is Germany’s 24th seed Sabine Lisicki, who came back from 1-5 down in the final set to defeat Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Petra Kvitova, the Czech fifth seed, eased past Anna Karolna Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-1. She next faces British qualifier Johanna Konta, the world number 97 who beat German 18th seed Andrea Petkovic in straight sets 7-6 (7/2), 6-3. Samantha Stosur, the 2011 champion, battled past Italy’s 16th seed Sara Errani 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.
