NEW YORK, NY, USA - Two former US Open champions take to the courts as the top half of the draw contests the fourth round on Monday. One of them plays the top seed in a much-anticipated clash. A certain young Belgian, who reached the semis last year, is still in the hunt as well.
Arthur Ashe
[11] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS #13) vs. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #45)
H2H: Kuznetsova leads 3-1
It's great to see 21-year-old Cibulkova, semifinalist at the 2009 French Open and entrenched in the Top 20 until injury troubles set in, back in the second week of a Slam. It's been a bumpy ride for the bubbly Slovak, though - coming into Flushing Meadows she hadn't won back-to-back matches in seven tournaments. On the upside, her best win to date was at the expense of none other than Kuznetsova, who was ranked No.3 when they met at Sydney at the start of the season. However, a repeat performance will probably require Kuznetsova to be out-of-sorts to some degree. While the diminutive Cibulkova packs a punch for her size, she has pulled out of her doubles with an achilles problem. Meantime, Kuznetsova seems to have refound her champion's gait.
[1] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN #2) vs. [14] Maria Sharapova (RUS #17)
H2H: Sharapova leads 2-0
With a great defender up against one of the supreme attackers, this is the match many have been waiting for. Wozniacki has barely skipped a beat - or dropped a game - since arriving in town having won three trophies in four weeks. Indeed, minimizing her time on court has surely helped the 20-year-old recover, propping up her chances of lasting seven matches here. Of course, Sharapova is in another league to other opponents faced so far and presents the first real test to the top seed. Wozniacki moves the better, and can match the Russian on the backhand side, but Sharapova is serving like her old self and if things aren't going her way has more scope to mix it up. She's also the ultimate big match player; on that front, Wozniacki is the one with something to prove.
Andrea Petkovic (GER #38) vs. [7] Vera Zvonareva (RUS #8)
H2H: First meeting
Petkovic has real star power off court and this match, under lights on Arthur Ashe, is the almost-23-year-old's chance to prove she can handle the big time on court as well. The sole player left in this half gunning for a first Grand Slam quarterfinal, much will depend on how she handles the occasion; on balance, Zvonareva is a more rounded and (usually) consistent player, who should be fortified by the experience of playing a Wimbledon final. Hopefully, that will override any thoughts of her nightmarish exit from Flushing Meadows last year, when she held six match points in her fourth round match against Flavia Pennetta before unraveling. If Petkovic serves at her best and finds a way to unsettle the Russian, the underdog may just stand a chance.
Louis Armstrong
[31] Kaia Kanepi (EST #32) vs. [15] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL #18)
H2H: Kanepi leads 2-1
After her semifinal run here last year, Wickmayer began 2010 with an 11-match winning streak that included a hardcourt title at Auckland and a fourth round showing at the Australian Open. Since then she's been treading water, somewhat, though she has improved on her best showings at all three Slams. Clearly, New York brings back great vibes, and her third-set tie-break win over Patty Schnyder showed her fighting qualities at their best. In the Belgian's favor over the equally powerful Kanepi is her superior movement and verve at the net. But Kanepi, whose third round upset of Jelena Jankovic was her fourth in five matches against Top 20 opponents, is fired by thoughts of Wimbledon, where she made the last eight but should have done even better.
More to watch…
In third round doubles, top seeds Flavia Pennetta and Gisela Dulko play No.13 seeds Monica Niculescu and Shahar Peer on Grandstand. Later, No.9 seeds Cara Black and Anastasia Rodionova tackle German duo Julia Goerges and Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik, the No.4 seeds, take on No.15 seeds Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, on Court 11.
