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New York - South Africa's Kevin Anderson has sailed into the third round of the US Open after comfortably dispatching Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.
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The fifth-seeded Anderson, runner-up to world No 1 Rafael Nadal in last year's final, beat Chardy 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 57 minutes on court No 17.
The 32-year-old South African lost just six points on his serve in the 30-minute first set, converting breaks in the third and seventh games. He jumped ahead in the second, too, breaking his opponent to open the set.
Chardy, who rose to a career-high No 25 in 2013 after reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals, couldn’t work his way back into the match in the third set. Serving at 2-all, 30-40, he could only watch as a backhand approach from Anderson sailed past him for the break. Anderson would need six match points to close it out, but fittingly ended it with his 18th ace of the match.
It was on the same court on Monday evening that Anderson needed well over four hours to beat American Ryan Harrison in his opening round.
The shorter second round victory was welcomed by Anderson’s team as it will allow him a better chance of faster recovery for his third-round match scheduled for Friday.
Anderson next faces rising Canadian star Denis Shapovalov, who laboured to a 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory over Italian journeyman Andreas Seppi.
Anderson has yet to face the Canadian teenager.
US Open results on Wednesday, the third day of the 2018 tournament at Flushing Meadows (x denotes seeded player):
Men
Second round
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Karen Khachanov (RUS x27) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 7-5, 6-3, 6-3
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Jack Sock (USA x18) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Guido Pella (ARG) bt Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 7-5, 6-0, 6-2
Dominic Thiem (AUT x9) bt Steve Johnson (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1
Taylor Fritz (USA) bt Jason Kubler (AUS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 - retired
Denis Shapovalov (CAN x28) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Kevin Anderson (RSA x5) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x3) bt Denis Kudla (USA) 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP x31) bt Andy Murray (GBR) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Borna Coric (CRO x20) bt Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-3
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x15) 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
John Isner (USA x11) bt Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) bt Cameron Norrie (GBR) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Milos Raonic (CAN x25) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) bt Ugo Humbert (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Women
Second round
Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt Jil Teichmann (SUI) 6-4, 6-3
Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Vania King (USA) 7-5, 6-1
Serena Williams (USA x17) bt Carina Witthoeft (GER) 6-2, 6-2
Venus Williams (USA x16) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-4, 7-5
Karolina Muchova (CZE) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x12) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Ashleigh Barty (AUS x18) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE) 7-5, 6-3
Sofia Kenin (USA) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x32) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x8) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) 6-2, 6-3
Sloane Stephens (USA x3) bt Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS x25) 6-1, 6-2
Barbora Strycova (CZE x23) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-0, 6-1
Elise Mertens (BEL x15) bt Vera Lapko (BLR) 6-2, 6-0
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt Julia Goerges (GER x9) 7-6 (12/10), 6-3
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x19) bt Claire Liu (USA) 6-3, 6-1
Wang Qiang (CHN) bt Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) 6-3, 6-1
Elina Svitolina (UKR x7) bt Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-2, 6-3
