TENNIS.com - 2008 US Open - The Wrapsheet: US Open Day 3

Photos of the Day

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Quotes of the Day

"I would have loved to take a nap on court, because I was really exhausted. But you know, the rules are the rules. I had to keep going."
– Jelena Jankovic, on not getting up immediately after falling on the ground at the end of a point

"When I'm ready to serve she should be ready to receive, as well. Those are the rules."

– Jelena Jankovic, after being told that Sofia Arvidsson was unhappy about Jankovic going ahead with her serve despite Arvidsson holding up her hand. Jankovic said she hadn't seen the gesture.

"I always want people to remember me as a great tennis player, a champion... I don't want them to remember me as a clown."
– Novak Djokovic

"I'll make sure they don't have it."

– Novak Djokovic, lightheartedly responding to the suggestion that people are hoping for a Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal meeting in the final

"I think he was spent, and I was struggling, and so it was an easy conversation."

– Andy Roddick, on no longer being coached by brother John Roddick

"Very surprising."

– Nikolay Davydenko, on finding himself in good form during his first-round match

"Not really, but you know what? I don't think you should be coming into a Grand Slam and playing [your] first matches [with] the best game you got. I think I want to grow every match, playing better and better."
– Svetlana Kuznetsova, on whether she's happy with her game so far

Wednesday's Results of Note

Andy Roddick (USA) [8] def. Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-2

Roddick came out determined to take the unorthodox Frenchman out of the match early on, and ended up with an easy win. Now for something completely different, and far more dangerous -- the rising Ernests Gulbis.

Santoro, meanwhile, achieved a Grand Slam stadium farewell tour (he's exited on the main court of all the Slams this year), but was left disgruntled after getting hit by a Roddick serve at the end of the match. Santoro was convinced it was deliberate, while Roddick insisted he didn't mean it and would speak to Santoro to clear things up.

Novak Djokovic (SRB) [3] def. Arnaud Clement (FRA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-4

Djokovic's most worrying moment in this match came when he hurt his ankle, but he anticipates that everythin will be fine for his next match. Good thing he didn't hear the the TV broadcast speculating about his rumored fling with Paraguayan javelin thrower/beauty queen Leryn Franco.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)[19] def. Santiago Ventura (ESP) 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2, 6-3

After a scratchy first set, Tsonga went through fairly routinely. It's not clear what to expect from the surprise Australian Open finalist who's been off the tour since March with a knee problem, but this can only be a positive sign.

Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [2] def. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-3 6-7(5) 7-5

Jankovic had a set point to wrap up the match in straight sets and also dropped five straight points in the second-set tiebreak after an initial 3-0 lead. But she let Arvidsson wriggle free and the Swede, swinging free with her forehand, stayed with the second seed for the rest of the match -- two hours and 44 minutes in total. Afterwards, just hearing her talk about how tired she is was exhausting.

Anne Keothavong (GBR) def. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) [25] 6-2, 3-6, 6-4

A very impressive win for the suddenly surging Keothavong - the first British woman to make it to the second round of this event since 1991.

Thursday's Matches to Watch

Rafael Nadal (ESP) [1] vs. Ryler DeHeart (USA) Arthur Ashe Stadium - 2nd evening match

Nadal we know. DeHeart may be the most obscure name in the second round.

Still, the 24-year-old former University of Illinois player has risen steadily from the 400s to the 200s over the past year, and he qualified for this event before winning a five-setter against Olivier Rochus in the first round. Maybe all that is why he described his upcoming meeting with Nadal by saying, "Now I have an easy match coming up."

Well -- a quick match, anyway.

Andy Murray (GBR) [4] vs. Michael Llodra Grandstand - 2nd match

Welcome to the travails of being a top seed. Even facing a dangerous attacking lefty like Llodra, all the pressure is on Murray in this match, and that's the way it'll stay till a scheduled meeting with Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. Luckily, Murray has the tools to justify that status, and his returns and passing shots should prevent Llodra from getting much of a foothold in this match.

Serena Williams (USA) [4] vs. Elena Vesnina (RUS) Arthur Ashe Stadium - 7:00 pm

Vesnina can have her moments, but they've been few and far between of late -- she's lost seven of her last nine matches. On that form, she isn't likely likely to trouble Serena for too long.

Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) [24] Louis Armstrong Stadium - 2nd match

This is a prime candidate to go five sets. The talented Mathieu is always a tough prospect, but Fish on a good day is capable of getting the win.

James Blake (USA) [9] vs. Steve Darcis (BEL) Arthur Ashe Stadium - 3rd match

After going five sets under the lights in his first-round match, Blake will return to Ashe Stadium in the afternoon against the mysterious Darcis, who looks like a world-beater at one of two indoor tournaments a year and then slips back into obscurity.

Gael Monfils (FRA) [32] vs. Evgeny Korolev (RUS) Louis Armstrong Stadium - 4th match

Monfils could be poised to make a little bit of a run at this event, but will find himself in the unusual position of having to be the steadier player in this match. Korolev has tremendous power but also tremendous inconsistency, and hasn't been the same since a bad abdominal injury kept him off the tour till early this year.