BAKING heat, rain and the threat of lightning all forced stoppages in play at the US Open on Sunday but Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki marched on through a day of wild weather and upsets.
Former World No 1 Caroline had her fourth round match with Maria Sharapova halted briefly by the heat rule but it was the fifth-seeded French Open champion who wilted under a blazing sun, falling 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Later, rain interrupted Federer’s clash with Marcel Granollers before the five-time US Open champion came back from a set down to crush the Spaniard 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 and storm into the fourth round.
Gilles Simon and Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer sweated it out under a midday sun, the 26th seeded Frenchman posting the first big surprise in the men’s draw with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 6-3 win.
A stormy day finished off with another upset on Arthur Ashe Stadium court as 17-year-old Swiss sensation Belinda Bencic swept past ninth-seeded Serb and former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic 7-6(6), 6-3.
“It was always a dream to play on this court,” said Belinda, who is coached by Martina Hingis’s mother Melanie Molitor.
Next up for Belinda is another giant-killer in China’s Peng Shuai. The doubles specialist eased into the last eight with a 6-3, 6-4 win over 14th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova.
The departures of Maria and Jelena leave only World No 1 Serena Williams, Canada’s seventh seed Eugenie Bouchard and Caroline as the only survivers of the women’s top 10.
Caroline showed great grit in battling past Maria as the punishing conditions turned the match into a battle for survival.
A grand slam title is the one major hole in Caroline’s considerable resume and the Dane may never have a better opportunity to fill it with the draw having opened up.
The 2009 US Open runner-up is training to run the New York marathon later in the year and appeared better equipped to cope with the soaring temperatures and stifling humidity that took the players off court.
After play resumed, Caroline turned up her own heat on the five-time grand slam winner in the third set.
“I think it will help me a lot,” said Caroline, who will next face 13th seed Sara Errani, a three-set winner over Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
Barring Ferrer’s upset, the men’s top 10 seeds remain intact, with sixth seed Tomas Berdych and seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov both advancing.
Rising talent Dominic Thiem continued to surprise, following up his second round win over 11th seed Ernests Gulbis by dismantling 19th seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Reuters