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New York - Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka outlasted determined French qualifier Ugo Humbert 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 on another steamy day at the US Open on Wednesday.
Wawrinka, unable to defend his 2016 title after undergoing two knee surgeries last year, said he wasn't surprised at the challenge produced by 139th-ranked Humbert, who is playing his first tour-level event this week after a dominant summer on the developmental Challenger circuit.
"I knew it would be a difficult match," Wawrinka, whose ranking has slipped from a high of third in the world to 101. "He's a young player. He qualified, he won his first match."
Wawrinka, 33, served for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, but was broken by the 20-year-old Frenchman.
He broke back in the next game and clinched the win on his second match point in the next game.
"I'm really happy with the victory," said Wawrinka, who next faces Canadian Milos Raonic for a place in the last 16.
"It was tough conditions. It's never easy to play and move your best when conditions are so tough."
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
