Day Five: It's Not the Same U.S. Open Anymore...

The top-seeded women continue to fall while the top-seeded men rise to the occasion. Will Ferrell is in attendance...

Results: Day Session—Women

(1) Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 6-1 

Seeded No. 10, the hot, hot lady from Italy cooled off the Canadian Aleksandra Wozniack, 6-1, 6-1. The Italian Pennetta is making quite a name for herself this summer! Her results have been very impressive. 

Pennetta next meets Russian Vera Zvonareva in the fourth round.

(2) Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-2 

One of the mighty U.S. faded on day five. Alas, Vania King could not make it two in a row. She had taken out Australian Samantha Stosur, seeded 15th, in the first round, but the American could not withstand the power of Daniela Hantuchova.  

The Slovakian, seeded No. 22, is a long, thin and graceful player. Hantuchova will face No. 2 seed Serena Williams in the next round.

(3) Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 

Second seed Serena Williams faced Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, taking the first set at 6-3. It appeared to be business as usual. In the second set, however, the Spaniard broke the American twice, serving to go up, 3-1.  

Serena did not take this lightly and broke back. The American found herself in a position to level the second set at 3-3 if she could hold onto her serve. She did just that. Martinez-Sanchez held on to go up, 4-3.  

The serve-and-volleyer proved to be a major hurdle for Williams. They battled, staying on serve with Martinez-Sanchez going up 5-4 in set No. 2. Serena then leveled the set at 5-5. 

At deuce No. 8 in game 11, Martinez-Sanchez double-faulted, losing her serve. Serena served for the match at 6-5. She won the set at 7-5 and moved on to the next round, where she faces Hantuchova.

(4) Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 6-2, 6-2

Victoria Azarenka had a break of serve against Francesca Schiavone in the opener. That was enough to allow her to secure that first set, 6-4. 

Azarenka continued the pressure by breaking Schiavone in the first game of set two. But the Italian broke right back to level it at 1-1. They seesawed back and forth. Schiavone finally broke and held the break to go up 4-2, eventually taking the second set with another break at 6-2.  

Schiavone broke Azarenka’s serve immediately in the third set. The Italian played a very smart match against the No. 8 seed, with the lady from Belarus growing increasingly agitated.

Azarenka lost the third set in a stunning upset with Schiavone taking the match, causing the No. 8 seed to throw her racket down in total disgust. The crowd booed her—but the feisty Azarenka hates to lose! Another upset of the women’s top-seeded players. Schiavone will next face Na Li of China.

(5) Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-4 

The two Russians met on unlucky court No. 13. But it did prove to be a lucky day for Vera Zvonareva seeded number seven who faced Elena Vesnina and ripped through the first set 6-2. 

The second set was a bit more of a struggle but Zvonereva held on to win the match, 6-2, 6-4. Zvonereva will meet the rejuvenated Italian Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round.

(6) Na Li 6-4, 6-2

The Chinese Li, seeded No. 18, met Russian Maria Kirilenko in the third round. Li took the first set, 6-4, and then took the second set, 6-2. It was all over quickly. Li will next face the Italian Schiavone, who upset Azarenka earlier on the day.

Results: Night Session—Women

(7) Kim Clijsters 6-0, 6-2

Clijsters ran through her opponent fellow Belgian Kirsten Flipkens. She will next face Venus Williams in the fourth round.

(8) Venus Williams 6-2, 7-5

Williams seeded No. 3 met and defeated Magdalena Rybarikova in straight sets. Even with her heavily taped upper thigh, Venus won convincingly and will next face Kim Clijsters in the fourth round.

Results: Day Session—Men

(1) Marin Cilic 4-6, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-0

Meanwhile U.S. interloper Jesse Levine made life miserable for the leaner looking Marin Cilic, the No. 16 seed, going up two sets to love at 6-4, 6-2. Then reality set in and Cilic ran away with set No. 3—taking it at love. 

Levine fought hard but Cilic took the fourth set, 6-3. They moved on to a fifth set.  Unfortunately for the American, his day was done after the first two sets. Cilic won the fifth set, 6-0, and the American was on his way home—wondering what happened! Cilic next faces Denis Istomin.

(2) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 6-3, 6-4

Tsonga, seeded seventh, had a relatively easy time dispatching Jarkko Nieminen, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Nieminen was just returning after surgery on his wrist. What was interesting were Jimmy Connors’ comments regarding the multi-talented Tsonga. 

Connors remarked that sometimes you can have too much talent.  

When you have too much talent, you do not work as hard because the mechanics come too easily. When you do not work at tennis every day, you are not fit—not mentally or physically as fit as those guys who dedicate themselves to their art. 

Such truth coming so early in the day from Jimbo! You see it reflected in Tsonga—who is often hurt, as is another French wild man—Gael Monfils. Talent, it seems, is not all it takes to make it to the top. Nobody ever made more of his talent than Jimbo! Tsonga meets fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

(3) Juan Martin del Potro 7-6, 6-3, 6-3

Del Potro, seeded sixth, started off slowly, suffering a break of serve; the Argentine quickly found his way back into the match with Jurgen Melzer, though, as his serve sizzled. 

Melzer contended, but del Potro took the first set, 7-6, after seizing the tie-break. With a break of serve in the second set, Juan del Potro took it, 6-3. In the third set, Melzer fought hard but lost his serve and eventually the set, at 6-3. The match went to del Potro, who next faces Daniel Koellerer.

(4) Juan Carlos Ferrero 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4

Ferrero (24) lost the first two sets of his match, but came back to win the third set, 6-4, against Philipp Petzschner of Germany. Ferrero also took the fourth set, 6-2.

The fifth was a real contest—unlike the the Cilic vs. Levine final set. Ferrero fought back from being down a break to even the fifth at 4-4. Then he broke Petzschner to go up 5-4, serving for the set—which he did successfully. 

Like Cilic, Ferrero came back to win the last three sets, taking the match in five.  Ferrero will meet Gilles Simon in the next round.

(5) Julian Benneteau 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0

Benneteau won the first set, 6-1, then lost the second set to Victor Troicki (30), 3-6; the Frenchman came back and won the third set, again at 6-1, finally closing it out at 6-0 to win in four sets. 

So far on day five, two Frenchmen have moved on. Benneteau must face fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

(6) Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2

No. 17 Berdych faced Horatio Zeballos in a second-round contest. Berdych took the first set, 6-3. It looked to be a easy day for the Czech. Looks, however, can be deceiving. 

The second set went to a tie-break which the Czech lost. In the third the players remained dead even—with Berdych finally taking the set in another tie-break. Berdych was up two sets to one as they headed for the fourth set. 

Berdych broke the Argentine’s serve a couple of times to go up 4-1. He finally captured the final set 6-2. He will next face Fernando Gonzalez.

(7) Denis Istomin 2-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6

Istomin played a hotly contested match with Nicolas Lapentti that went the distance—five sets with a final tie-break in the fifth to determine the winner. Istomin held on to win this marathon match and he will meet Marin Cilic in the next round.

(8) Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

Another Frenchman, Gilles Simon, appearing on Court 11 seeded No. 9, faced Brazilian Thomas Bellucci. Simon is not enjoying quite the splash he did last summer. He broke Bellucci to go up 2-0 in the opening set, eventually going up 3-0. 

But Bellucci broke back and evened things up. Simon regained momentum and took the first set, 6-3. Soon after, Simon won the second set, 6-2. In the third set, Simon and Bellucci stayed on serve and were even at 3-3. 

Eventually the baby-faced Frenchman won the match, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. He will face Juan Carlos Ferrero in the third round.

(9) Nicolas Almagro 6-7, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 

American Robby Ginepri met Nicolas Almagro (32) on Louis Armstrong in a second round contest. They stayed on serve through the first set—with Ginepri taking the tie-break to go up 7-6.  Almagro fought back and took the second set 6-2. 

In a tightly fought contest, Almagro took the third set, 6-3, with Ginepri coming back to win the fourth, 6-4. This match went to a fifth set with the crowd backing the American. 

Eventually, Almagro hung on to win in the fifth, 6-4. He next faces Rafael Nadal in the third round.

(10) Daniel Koellerer 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 

Koellerer met and defeated Pablo Cuevas in the second round to set up a meeting with Juan Martin del Potro in the next round.  

(11) Andy Murray 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2

Much as expected, Andy Murray was not severely challenged by Paul Capdeville, running away with the first set, 6-2. But Capdeville came back and broke Murray in the second set to go up 4-1. In a surprising result, Capdeville took the second set 6-3.  

The No. 2 seed seemed to take a respite from the match in the second set and camped out behind the baseline. After returning to the game, Murray raced through the third set, 6-0, and then took the fourth and final set, 6-2. He will next meet Cilic in the third round. It gets interesting from this point forward as the seeds begin to meet.

(12) Fernando Gonzalez 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4

Gonzalez met another of the legion of talented Frenchmen Josselin Ouanna. The Chilean seeded No. 11 took the first set 6-4. 

The second set played even with the Frenchman taking it in a tie-break. But Gonzalez bounced back and won the next two sets. Gonzalez will next meet Tomas Berdych.

(13) Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-5, 6-3

Meanwhile, another Frenchman, 13th-seeded Gael Monfils, faced Andreas Beck from Germany taking the first set 6-3. Monfils broke the German’s serve early in the second set, going up 3-1. 

Eventually Monfils won in straight sets. He will look forward to playing Jose Acasuso.

(14) Taylor Dent 6-4, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6

Dent, the American, shot out to a 3-0 lead against Navarro on the Grand Slam Court.  But Navarro fought back to level it at 3-3. After another break of serve, Dent took the first set. Then it settled into a battle royale! 

It was a thrilling match for the American to win with the crowd in full vocal support.  Dent’s next opponent is Andy Murray.

(15) Jose Acasuso 6-3, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

David Ferrer, seeded No. 18, met Jose Acasuso in a hard-fought baseline contest that went the distance. After five grueling sets, Acasuso took the fifth set by the throat and reined in the victory. 

The Spaniard Ferrer continues to flounder. Acasuso will face the Frenchman Gael Monfils in the third round..

Results: Night Session—Men

(16) Rafael Nadal 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 

Nadal (3) faced the German Nicholas Kiefer. Nadal took the first set at love. But Kiefer found his game and came back in thrilling fashion taking the second set 6-3. 

What started out to be a lop-sided contest quickly grew interesting. It was tight and exciting all the way with single breaks of serve providing the needed leverage in both the third and fourth sets. 

Nadal won under the lights with the crowd fully engaged.