Last 16 battles loom as Kyrgios forced out | CNN

Last 16 battles loom as Kyrgios forced out

2 minute read
Updated 4:42 PM EDT, Sun September 4, 2016
Nick Kyrgios was forced to retire from the US Open through injury.
Nick Kyrgios was forced to retire from the US Open through injury.
Alex Goodlett/Getty Images North America/Getty Images

Story highlights

Kyrgios out through injury

Juan Martin del Potro into fourth round

Djokovic back in action Sunday

CNN  — 

Rising Australian star Nick Kyrgios was forced to retire from the US Open after three sets of his third round match.

Kyrgios was behind in the tie with Ukrainian Illya Marchenko but decided to concede after what the official US Open website said was a hip injury.

It hands Marchenko a fourth round tie with the number three seed Stan Wawrinka, who survived a match point against him to win in five sets against Britain’s Dan Evans.

“I’m pretty disappointed,” Kyrgios told reporters. “I don’t like to retire. It’s probably like the second or third time I’ve done it. It’s never easy.”

Some of the other stars of the men’s game cruised through into the last 16.

Silver medalist at the Rio Games, Juan Martin del Potro, beat Spain’s David Ferrer 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 6-3 to make his first major fourth round since Wimbledon three years ago.

READ: Serena beats record

The Argentinian has battled against terrible injury problems but is hitting the kind of form that won him the US Open in 2009 when he beat Roger Federer.

“I didn’t expect to be in the second week of this tournament,” Del Potro told reporters.

“I didn’t expect to get a medal in Rio. I didn’t expect to play at this level in this part of the year…but I think I’m surprised with my level at the moment.”

Serena Williams serves to Johanna Larsson during the pair's 2016 US Open round three match.
Serena Williams serves to Johanna Larsson during the pair's 2016 US Open round three match.
EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Williams outclassed and outgunned her opponent with a powerful display of shot-making.
Williams outclassed and outgunned her opponent with a powerful display of shot-making.
Al Bello/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Larsson struggled to cope with Williams aggression.
Larsson struggled to cope with Williams aggression.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
The World No. 1 took the tie 6-2 6-1 in just 59 minutes
The World No. 1 took the tie 6-2 6-1 in just 59 minutes
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Williams victory was her 307th match win at grandslam tournaments.
Williams victory was her 307th match win at grandslam tournaments.
EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
No other female player has won as many matches at grandslam events in the history of the sport.
No other female player has won as many matches at grandslam events in the history of the sport.
DON EMMERT/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
US Open 2016: Serena Williams dons 'Wonder Woman' sleeves to beat record

Some of the top seeds are back in action Sunday. Rafael Nadal (4) is first on court in his fourth round match against Lucas Pouille, and top seed Novak Djokovic has a fourth round match against Briton Kyle Edmund. France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (9) takes on American Jack Sock.

In the women’s game, Caroline Wozniacki plays American Madison Keys (8), and Wimbledon and Rio finalist Angelique Kerber (2) faces Czech player Petra Kvitova (14).