Sakamoto Ends Nishikori's Qualifying Run as Andreescu Falls to Zidansek in Flushing Meadows
Rei Sakamoto beat Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-6 and Tamara Zidansek recovered from a set down to oust Bianca Andreescu 2-6 6-3 6-4 on a day of US Open qualifying finals that also delivered an all-British duel, three Challenger finalists and two Monterrey semifinalists.
Tamara Zidansek266
Bianca Andreescu634Before the match we said49%Tamara Zidansek
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The final round of US Open qualifying is where reputations count for least, and Wednesday's programme in Flushing Meadows proved it again. Rei Sakamoto denied Kei Nishikori a place in the main draw, closing out a 6-4 7-6 win in which the second set went the distance without ever slipping away from the younger man. Nishikori, a former finalist at this tournament, had to work his way through the qualifying event and will not get the reward; Sakamoto's poise in the tiebreak was the difference in a match that never offered him a comfortable margin.
The women's finals produced the day's other headline result. Tamara Zidansek was outplayed for a set by Bianca Andreescu, losing it 6-2, but reset the terms of the contest thereafter and won 2-6 6-3 6-4, punishing a growing number of unforced errors from the other side of the net. Andreescu's attempt to build momentum on hard courts through the qualifying route ends here, while Zidansek adds a main-draw place to a season that has demanded patience.
Elsewhere in the women's qualifying finals, Harriet Dart came through an all-British meeting with Heather Watson, dropping the opening set 2-6 before taking control and closing out 6-4 6-1 with a decisive third. Qinwen Zheng also needed three sets, edging past Elena Pridankina 6-4 3-6 6-0 with a shutout final set that suggested her level rose as the match wore on. Arantxa Rus repeated the pattern against Susan Bandecchi, recovering from 1-6 down to win 6-3 6-4.
The more emphatic winners were Himeno Sakatsume, a 6-4 6-3 winner over Mia Ristic; Storm Hunter, who beat Darja Semenistaja 6-4 6-1; Kristina Liutova, who conceded just four games to Martyna Kubka in a 6-4 6-0 win; Lucie Havlickova, who opened with a bagel before completing a 6-0 6-4 defeat of Nao Hibino; and Anouk Koevermans, who needed a tiebreak to see off Mariam Bolkvadze 6-3 7-6.
On the men's side, Dalibor Svrcina recovered from a set down to beat Mackenzie McDonald 4-6 6-2 7-5, and Jurij Rodionov did likewise against Jacob Fearnley, winning 4-6 6-4 6-4. Harry Wendelken survived the day's most punishing contest, beating Vilius Gaubas 6-7 7-6 7-6 with all three sets decided by tiebreak. Francesco Passaro was more economical against Shintaro Mochizuki, winning 6-4 6-2, as were Lloyd Harris over Pablo Llamas Ruiz (7-6 6-3) and Nishesh Basavareddy, who dismissed Arthur Gea 6-3 6-1. O'Connell C. also advanced past Zsombor Piros.
Away from New York, Elise Mertens moved into the Monterrey semifinals with a clean 6-1 6-4 win over Yuliia Starodubtseva, while Diane Parry produced the more notable result of the quarterfinals, beating Clara Tauson 6-3 7-5. James Duckworth reached the last four in Winston-Salem by recovering from a set down against Fabian Marozsan, 6-7 6-2 6-4, and Tereza Valentova needed only 6-1 6-2 to see off Kylie Collins in Philadelphia. At Challenger level, Cezar Cretu (6-3 7-5 over Sandro Kopp) and Facundo Mena (4-6 6-4 7-6 against Benito Sanchez Martinez) set up the Augsburg final, while Charles Broom beat Oliver Tarvet 6-4 5-7 6-1 and George Loffhagen dismissed Michele Ribecai 6-2 6-2 to meet in Roehampton.
