Djokovic Moves on to U.S. Open Round of 16

World number one Novak Djokovic notched a straight-set win Friday afternoon, moving past Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 to reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open.

Djokovic didn’t play his best tennis, but did enough to get past a very good player in Seppi in straight sets. He was broken early in the first set, but responded with a break of his own and later broke one more time to take the opener.

“A win is a win,” said Djokovic. “I can't underestimate the quality of my opponent today. He is 20th, 25th in the world for a reason. He's not afraid to go out on a big stadium and play his best against big players. He won against Federer earlier this year in Australia. He's a good player and it's a good win for me.”

In the second, both players dominated on serve and after 10 games, the set was all even at 5-5. Djokovic then broke for a 6-5 lead, and after consolidating it with a hold, had himself a two sets to love lead.

The top-seeded Serb had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4 in the third set, but Seppi didn’t go away that easily. He broke Djokovic to bring the set to 5-5. But Djokovic, one of the best re-breakers in the world, answered right back with a break to go ahead 6-5.

He then held serve to close out Seppi and book his spot in the round of 16.

“Obviously I didn't want to get into a fourth set. Didn't close out the match at 5-4. He played a very good game. Got a little bit tight. Match could have gone either way,” said Djokovic. “Again, I was focused in the right moments. I came up with some big serves, but generally was a really, really tough three sets. Just glad to get through this one.”

Djokovic moves on to play Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut. The 23rd-seed trailed Belgium’s David Goffin 2-6, 5-7, 6-3, 3-1 when Goffin was overcome by the Flushing heat and retired due to illness.

“He is having a really good year, and he’s playing really good tennis,” Bautista Agut said of Goffin. “I feel, it’s too bad that it ended like this for him.”

Also on Friday, it was 18th-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez who took down Canadian Milos Raonic in straight sets, knocking off the 10th seed 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-3.

“It's not enjoyable … it's not fun,” said Raonic. “Just try to make the most of some situations and deal with it as much as you can. Obviously what I had in my capacity wasn't enough today.”

Lopez broke early in the first set and never looked back against the big-serving Raonic, who has been bothered by back spasms all week in Flushing Meadows. Lopez won all of his service games throughout the three sets as he continued his outstanding serving that has propelled him in his three matches this week.

Lopez gets the winner of the match between his compatriot and eighth-seed Rafael Nadal and Italian Fabio Fognini, the number 32 seed.