Nadal sees off Leonardo Mayer, progresses to round of 16
World number one Rafael Nadal lost the first set but recovered in time for the second match in succession as he reached the US Open round of 16. He beat Argentine World number 59 Leonardo Mayer 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. The Spaniard will now face Ukraine's Alexander Dolgopolov, against whom he has a 6-2 record, for a place in the quarter-finals.
After a couple of uncomfortable five-setters, Roger Federer looked like he was back to his best against 31st- seeded Feliciano Lopez. He registered a straightforward 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory over the Spaniard to progress to the pre-quarters in an excellent display of exquisite tennis. Should both Nadal and Federer win their subsequent matches they will meet each other in a high-profile semifinal clash.
Dominic Thiem overcame the challenge of France's Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Thiem will now face Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Teenager Andrey Rubley continued his dream run as he defeated Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Meanwhile, Fognini was kicked out of the men's doubles for his foul-mouthed comments to female umpire Louise Engzell.
Top seed Karolina Pliskova survived a scare as she defeated China's Zhang Shuai and thus hung on to her world number one spot. Pliskova saved a match point in the 10th game of the second set and recovered just in time to triumph 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. Meanwhile, fourth seed Elina Svitolina won 6-4, 7-5 over Shelby Rogers to progress to the round of 16.
Sania Mirza and Peng Shuai went through to the round of 16 of women's doubles after seeing off M. Rybáriková and J. Čepelová 6-7 6-3 6-3. Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna won their respective men's doubles matches to progress as well. However, Mirza crashed out of the mixed doubles event but Bopanna and his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski progressed to the round of 16.
