Apologies for the cheesy title, i can’t resist sometimes. Right, onto the stories of the day.
Women
The contrasting fortunes of the two biggest stars on this half of the draw dominated the headlines today. Simona Halep didn’t know how to handle the smart play and nerveless mentality of USA’s Lauren Davis. But the Romanian kept her cool and steel and yes she got a bit lucky at times. The dream is still alive.
Quite the opposite for the controversial Sharapova who was out of luck in having to face the phoenix-like Angie Kerber who is looking right back at her best from 2016. The Russian was all out of ideas and kept rushing her way through points in desperation as Kerber proved bulletproof in defence and devastating in counter-punch attack.
Elsewhere Madison Keyes quietly continues to carve her way confidently through the draw, as does Pliskova who downed Safarova in a tight two setter. Likewise for Caroline Garcia who is still alive and kicking. Radwanska is out though after a few rants too – another victim of the previous round’s star Su-Wei Hsieh.
Men
As Federer and Djokovic both advanced, the first past a tough Gasquet in three slightly off-colour sets and the latter with the usual faux-injury masterclasses, it was left to less decorated men to make the stories.
Always dependable, Tomas Berdych was scintillating in his win over the darkest of horses Del Potro, but poor Sasha Zverev showed his young years perhaps in a petulant five set loss to the largely unheralded Hyeon Chung. Still much to deliver on the biggest stages, but plenty of time of course.
Potential dark horse Dominic Thiem ghosted through but Fabio Fognini put and end to Julien Benneteau’s run.
All Things Tennis 