Mixed results for Russians at U.S. Open

30 August, 2008, 20:40

Another big gun has been bundled out of the U.S. Open, with third seed, Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, beaten in three sets by Katarina Srebotnik from Slovenia.

World number four and former champion Kuznetsova was hotly tipped as one of the favourites for the title at Flushing Meadows, but she was pushed to the limit by Srebotnik in the third round.

Olympic champion Elena Dementieva marches through to the fourth round, after a straightforward victory over Britain's Anne Keothavong.

Next up for her is China's top player Na Li, who beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova. Also a straight-sets victory for second-seed Jelena Jankovic, the Serb beating Jie Zheng of China 7-5, 7-5. Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki awaits in round 4.

Both Jankovic and Elena Dementieva can emerge on top of the world rankings after the U.S. Open. While there was a third-round exit for former world number one Lindsay Davenport, who was competing in her seventeenth U.S. Open.

France’s Marion Bartoli ousted the American to reach the fourth round for a second year in a row.

Over on the men's side, defending champion Roger Federer put his recent poor form behind him, as he moved through to the third round at Flushing Meadows. The world number two recorded his 600th career win in the process.

The Swiss express, who is chasing his fifth consecutive U.S. Open title, posted an impressive 19 aces to down the Brazilian Thiago Alves ranked outside the top hundred in straight sets.

Third-seeded Novak Djokovic met somewhat tougher resistance than he might have expected from local underdog Robert Kendrick but held his nerve to wrap up a straight-setter and progress to round 3.

While highest-ranked American Andy Roddick marked his 26th birthday with a comeback win over Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, who turned 20 on the very same day: 3-6 7-5 6-27-5 the score in this one.