The weight of the UK is once again on the capable shoulders of Andy Murray. However, 24-year old Robin Haase of the Netherlands gave the Scotsman all he could handle in a tense marathon, five set 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-4 Murray win. Haase is known as a gutsy competitor who has been hampered by a number of knee injuries.

After losing the second set 6-2, Murray looked doomed. The Scotsman has had a good Grand Slam season and is one of two tour players to upset Novak Djokovic this season. Because of his championship at Cincinnati, Murray is expected to challenge for the title.

On Friday, things looked pretty bleak until Murray reversed the pattern of play in the third set. He mixed his pace, committed to longer points and was able to wrest the momentum from the Dutchmen. Murray advances to the third round where he will meet another tough competitor Feliciano Lopez in the round of 32.

As they have done all season, the big four, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray have emerged as the game’s big four powerhouses. There appears a gap between these four players and the rest of the field and it would be surprising if they did not all reach the semifinals.

On the whole, the seedings have held firm on the men’s side. Gael Monfils is gone as is Robin Soderling. After Friday’s stirring match between young American Donald Young and veteran Stan Wawrinka, the highly partisan crowd carried Young over the goal line.

In upsetting the 14th seed, Young established himself as a force. He is a gifted athlete with soft hands and a good touch. In his 7-6 (7), 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1), 4 hour 20 minute victory, momentum skirted back and forth and appeared to a fickle element. The last set took 73 minutes as Wawrinka jumped ahead only to have Young make a run of his own. Young had an opportunity to serve the match out at 5-4 but Wawrinka refused to go quietly and stretched the set to the tiebreaker. Young saved the best for last and cruised to a 6-0 lead. The win is the biggest of Young’s career and helped the USA have five of the 32 slots in the round of 32.

Veteran David Nalbandian upset 30th seeded Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Nalbandian wins the dubious distinction of playing Rafa Nadal in the next round.

Igor Kunitsyn of Russia toppled Austria’s 17th seed, Jurgen Melzer, 3-6, 6-3,1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Melzer was effective on just 44 percent of his first serves. Melzer committed very few unforced errors (9) but Kunitsyn made even fewer errors (4).

Maria Sharapova Out!

Maria Sharapova Out

Women’s tennis lost one of its prominent upper echelon players when Flavia Pennetta used her gutsy retrieving abilities and delicate net game to upset third seed, Maria Sharapova. Pennetta committed 35 errors but far less than Sharapova who committed 60.

With Pennetta playing consistently, Maria was forced to go for more winners. But, the telling tale for the three seed was the fact that she double faulted 12 times. For Maria, serving has become the core of her game and on Friday the core was damaged.

In other action, Samantha Stosur stood her ground against hard-hitting Nadia Petrova in a tense 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5. Statistically and in play, this match could not have been tighter. Petrova had 7 aces, Stosur 6. Both players had five doubles. Petrova converted 4 of 11 break chances while Samantha converted 5 of 11. The real difference in this match was Stosur ability to come up big off her forehand.

Stosur will next face another Russian Maria Kirilenko. Kirilenko overcame the crowd and any jitters in ousting 19-year old American Christina McHale 6-2,6-3.

The word around the grounds is to watch out for the remaining two Germans. Julia Goerges was upset but Sabine Lisicki crushed American Irina Falconi 6-0,6-1. Lisiscki is well positioned to make a run. Sabine has a big serve and strong baseline shots. We will find out how good Lisicki is when she plays 2nd seeded Vera Zvonareva in the next round.

Borrowing a page from Li Na, China’s Peng Shuai, the 13 seed, used Julia Goerges’ power to down the 19 seed. Goerges is one of Germany’s big three and was expected to go deep into the draw.

Fortunately for German, Angelique Kerber has advanced unexpectedly. Kerber downed Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-1. The unsung Kerber had upset heavily favored Agnieszka Radwanska, the 12 seed, in her previous match.

There is plenty of action today with Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka ready to have a go at each other.

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