Fifth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic was knocked out of the US Open on Wednesday by American qualifier Ryan Harrison as Novak Djokovic was handed a free pass into the last 32
Milos Raonic
New York: Fifth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic was knocked out of the US Open on Wednesday by American qualifier Ryan Harrison as Novak Djokovic was handed a free pass into the last 32.
ADVERTISEMENT
Milos Raonic
The 120th-ranked Harrison won 6-7, 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 and goes on to face Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last 16 after pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
"It was extremely physical out there. I was playing on adrenaline," said 24-year-old Harrison who was as high as 43 in the world in 2012. "This is a big win for me."
Patchy
Raonic, considered as a potential title dangerman in New York, hit 18 aces and 69 winners but committed 62 unforced errors.
Harrison has now reached the third round of a Slam for the first time after recording just a second win over a top 10 opponent in 27 meetings.
"I started cramping midway through the second set. There was a lot of nerves and stress," said 25-year-old Raonic who claimed that the pain eventually spread to his back and arms and that, as a result, he was unable to carry his bags. Djokovic made the last 32 of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when Jiri Vesely of the Czech withdrew from the encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.
Welcome break for Djoko
Vesely's misfortune was a welcome boost for Djokovic, who had required treatment on his upper right arm in his first round win over Jerzy Janowicz on Monday.