TheSportsCampus

As the US Open edges closer to its second week, excitement is building around the players who hope to be in the running come the business end of the tournament. Roger Federer is the man at the top of that list, and the 5-time former champion will expect more than a little exercise when he comes up against the well travelled Frenchman Paul Henri Mathieu. Joining Federer in third round action are the no.3 and 5 seeds, Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling respectively. The former will have his work cut out against popular American James Blake while the latter has a relatively routine match in prospect against talented Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker. The women's top half of the draw also takes to the court today with Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Jankovic and the ever popular Maria Sharapova, the star attractions.

Up first on the Arthur Ashe Stadium is fourth seed Jelena Jankovic against Kaia Kanepi, the thirty-first seeded Estonian who was a surprise quarterfinalist at this year's Wimbledon. Kanepi has a big game and loves the big arena where she can make some noise while the resilient Jankovic is also completely at home in such an atmosphere. Expect a three set match which will sneak Jankovic into the second week.

Russian diva Maria Sharapova plays America's newest sweetheart Beatrice Capra for a place in the fourth round. The American teenager upset eighteenth seeded big hitter Aravane Rezai in three tight sets and her confidence will be sky high considering this is her first Grand Slam main draw appearance.

In other matches top seed Caroline Wozniacki will take on Yung Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei, which will be expected to be another rout for the likeable Dane. Patty Schnyder will take on Yanina Wickmayer, the fifteenth seed Belgian, while Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva will also be in action.

The match of the day in the women's section will be that of Svetlana Kuznetsova, the eleventh seed battling Maria Kirilenko, the twenty third seed in an all Russian battle royale. Kirilenko has had the measure of her higher ranked opponent twice this year and with her improved game she will be a threat to Kuznetsova. On the other hand Kuznetsova is enjoying resurgence in form with a title this summer on American soil and is likely to be very much geed up for this encounter. Kirilenko might have more than an even chance of pulling off an upset, though Kuznetsova is likely to battle to the death.

Amongst the men's matches, Roger Federer plays Paul Henri Mathieu. The Frenchman beat Lleyton Hewitt in the first round and is carrying some good form into this match, but as history has shown Federer has always had his measure and would try to ensure that he is not stretched to four sets.

Mardy Fish, a runner-up a couple of weeks ago to Federer in Cincinnati plays another unseeded Frenchman Arnaud Clement. Janko Tipsarevic, the conqueror of Andy Roddick plays out third Frenchman in action, seventeenth seed Gael Monfils. In other interesting matches Jugren Melzer takes on Juan Carlos Ferrero and Robin Soderling battles Thiemo De Bakker for a place in the fourth round.

The pick of the day in the men's singles is Novak Djokovic's match against James Blake. The American, ranked outside the top hundred has had two credible wins but to play Djokovic is a whole different ball game. The Serbian third seed is playing well and is in considerably better shape than the American. The crowd will be completely biased towards the handsome Harvard educated Blake. He might blow hot and cold through the match creating pressure situations for the Serb, Djokovic should come through a rather messy encounter.

Saturday Schedule:

ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM

Day Session
Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[4] v. Kaia Kanepi (EST)[31]
Beatrice Capra (USA) v. Maria Sharapova (RUS)[14]
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) v. Roger Federer (SUI)[2]

Night session
James Blake (USA) v. Novak Djokovic (SRB)[3]
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[11] v. Maria Kirilenko (RUS)[23]

LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM
Robin Soderling (SWE)[5] v. Thiemo de Bakker (NED)
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)[1] v. Yung-Jan Chan (TPE)
Arnaud Clement (FRA) v. Mardy Fish (USA)[19]
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)[25] v. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)[7]

GRANDSTAND
Gael Monfils (FRA)[17] v. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)
Patty Schnyder (SUI) v. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)[15]
Jurgen Melzer (AUT)[13] v. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)[22]

COURT 11
Albert Montanes (ESP)[21] v. Kei Nishikori (JPN)
Richard Gasquet (FRA) v. Kevin Anderson (RSA)
Shuai Peng (CHN) v. Andrea Petkovic (GER)
Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) v. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)

File Photograph by: Dan Galbraith

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