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Saturday 1 September 2018

U.S. Open ... and shut: Stephens gets past Azarenka indoors

By HOWARD FENDRICH made 10 fewer unforced
AP Tennis Writer errors, 27-17.
NEW YORK (AP) — Sloane This is Stephens' sixth Grand
Stephens doesn't betray Slam tournament since she
much emotion on the had foot surgery in January
court, so all of the double 2017, and the other five fol-
fist pumps at the conclu- lowed a boom-or-bust pat-
sion of her U.S. Open match tern: In two, she reached
against former No. 1 Victo- the final, including at the
ria Azarenka made per- French Open in June; in the
fectly clear just how tight other three, she exited in
and tense things had been. the first round.
Stephens, the defending This time, the American will
champion and No. 3 seed, seek a quarterfinal spot
grabbed the last three when she faces No. 15 Elise
games after returning from Mertens of Belgium on Sun-
a brief break while the Ar- day.
thur Ashe Stadium's roof Mertens, who beat Ste-
was shut Friday and pulled phens at a recent hard-
out a 6-3, 6-4 victory over court tuneup tournament,
two-time runner-up Aza- reached the fourth round
renka to reach the fourth in New York for the first
round. time by defeating No. 23
What helped Stephens af- Sloane Stephens reacts after defeating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, during the third round of the Barbora Strycova 6-3, 7-6
ter the 8-minute delay? U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in New York. (4). The other fourth-round
"Just kind of refocusing," Associated Press matchup in that quarter
she said. will be No. 7 Elina Svitolina
Stephens went from up a arena at Flushing Meadows pens. You just have to ac- ning. I think it would just be against No. 19 Anastasija
set and a break at 3-1 in with a retractable roof. cept (it)," said Azarenka, a smarter." Sevastova.
the second to down 4-3 "The man upstairs was look- former No. 1 who won the This was a match filled with Scheduled for later Friday
when Azarenka took three ing out for me," Stephens Australian Open twice and lengthy exchanges and was the most-anticipated
games in a row. With light said. "Unlucky for her." lost to Serena Williams in the some fantastic shotmaking matchup of the women's
rain falling, play was halted When they resumed, she U.S. Open final twice. "I just by both women. field so far: Serena Williams
while the cover was closed took control. think from the tournament Stephens was just a bit bet- vs. Venus Williams, Part 30.
— although play carried on "I mean, of course it was a side, if they (are) expecting ter, particularly on the most It's their earliest meeting at
everywhere else, including change of momentum. I the showers, I think it might crucial points. She won half a Grand Slam tournament
the new Louis Armstrong won't be sitting here finding be better to just close the of Azarenka's 10 service in 20 years.q
Stadium, the only other excuses; it's just what hap- roof right from the begin- games. And Stephens also
U.S. Open to AP: Umpire at Kyrgios match will keep working

By HOWARD FENDRICH a changeover, Lahyani porters after the match,
AP Tennis Writer left his chair — a rare sight Kyrgios laughed at the
NEW YORK (AP) — The chair in Grand Slam tennis — to suggestion that he had re-
umpire who climbed out of speak to Kyrgios, leaning ceived coaching or a pep
his seat to talk with Nick Kyr- with hands on knees while talk from Lahyani.
gios during a second-round saying, "I want to help you." "I mean, like, I don't have
match will continue to offi- The 30th-seeded Kyrgios a coach. I haven't had a
ciate during the U.S. Open. wound up beating Herbert coach for, like, years. Of
A "comprehensive review 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-0 and will course he wasn't coaching
conducted by a number face Roger Federer in the me. Like, what are you talk-
of tournament officials" de- third round Saturday. ing about?" Kyrgios said.
termined that chair umpire Widmaier said tournament "He said he liked me. I'm
Mohamed Lahyani's mid- referee Brian Earley and not sure if that was en-
match chat with Kyrgios chief umpire Soeren Frienel couragement. He just said
went "beyond our proto- were among those who that it's not a good look,"
col," U.S. Tennis Association "met with Mohamed sev- Kyrgios said. "Look. I wasn't
spokesman Chris Widmaier eral times following yester- feeling good. I know what I
told The Associated Press Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, wipes his face during a match against day's match" as part of the was doing out there wasn't
Pierre-Hugues Herbert, of France, during the second round of
on Friday. the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in review. good. I wasn't really listen-
But Widmaier said that La- New York. Herbert said Thursday he ing to him, but I knew it
hyani would not be sanc- Associated Press thought Lahyani should be wasn't a good look."
tioned, on account of his sanctioned in some way. Kyrgios has run into trouble
"exemplary track record as the rest of the tournament," On Thursday, Kyrgios, a "This was not his job," Her- in the past for not giving his
an international tennis offi- Widmaier said. "Each of 23-year-old Australian, did bert said. "I don't think he's all during matches, even
cial." his matches will be moni- not appear to be putting a coach, he's an umpire, drawing a fine and suspen-
"He now has a better un- tored." forth much effort while and he should stay on his sion from the ATP men's tour
derstanding of what our Lahyani was assigned to dropping the first set and chair for that." in 2016.
protocols are and was in- umpire a men's doubles falling behind 3-0 in the sec- During an occasionally As Herbert put it: "Just
formed that he needs to match on Court 13 on Fri- ond against Pierre-Hugues confrontational and sar- sometimes he's mentally
stick to those protocols for day. Herbert of France. During castic exchange with re- not here."q