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Kohlschreiber to face Nadal

September 1, 2013

Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber has beaten home favorite John Isner at the US Open in New York, progressing to the last 16. Spanish world number 2 Rafael Nadal awaits him on the hardcourts in the next round.

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Philipp Kohlschreiber tosses the ball ahead of a serve during his game against John Isner - he won the third round game at the US Open in New York. (REUTERS/Kena Betancur)
Image: Reuters

Kohlschreiber and the big-serving Isner, seeded 13 for the tournament, delivered a close and competitive match. The German underdog, himself seeded 22, won the match in four sets, clinching the victory with his third match point in a fourth-set tie-break.

Kohlschrebier triumphed 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 overall, despite Isner's 26 aces. One of the American's first serves raced towards his opponent at 141mph (226.9 km/h). Consistency was key for Kohlschreiber; he hit considerably fewer winners than his opponent but also committed far fewer unforced errors.

A slight underdog on Saturday against Isner, Kohlschreiber will be a rank outsider in the round of 16 against second seed Rafael Nadal. Nadal cruised past Croatia's Ivan Dodig in straight sets on Saturday.

Kerber through, Lisicki out, Haas and Mayer yet to play

German number one Tommy Haas and his unseeded countryman Florian Mayer will both seek to join Kohlschreiber in the fourth round. Haas plays Russia's Mikhail Youzhny in the third round, while Mayer is up against defending champion and world number 3 Andy Murray.

Sabine Lisicki of Germany reacts as she plays Ekaterina Makarova of Russia during their match on the fifth day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 30 August 2013. (Photo via EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO)
Lisicki, 23, couldn't build on her Wimbledon runImage: picture-alliance/dpa

The German women had mixed fortunes in their efforts to reach the last sixteen late on Friday. Eighth seed Angelique Kerber progressed at the expense of Estonia's Kaia Kanepi. Kerber will face Carla Suarez Navarro in the next round. Surprise Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, a grass court specialist one might expect to fare well on the similiarly swift hardcourt surfaces in New York, lost in straight sets to Russian Ekaterina Marakova.

msh/ch (dpa, Reuters, SID)