By Chris Oddo | Wednesday September 2, 2015
Roger Federer will look to improve upon his stellar US Open night session record on Day 4 of the US Open.
Photo Source: USTA
On each day of the U.S. Open we will provide you with notes on three matches to watch, plus notes and numbers to keep you well-equipped for the day ahead.
SEE THE COMPLETE DAY 4 SCHEDULE HERE
1. Bernard Tomic vs. Lleyton Hewitt, 4th Match Granstand
The last match on Grandstand could be the last of Lleyton Hewitt’s US Open career, and he’ll meet his young understudy Bernard Tomic for a spot in the third round. The pair were seen practicing together on Center Court on Wednesday, and despite their tenuous beginnings six years ago, when Tomic snubbed Hewitt at Wimbledon when the older Aussie sought him out as a hitting partner, they’ve become closer over the years.
"I just have to go out there and use the moment and have fun,” Tomic told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I am sure he will do the same."
Whatever the outcome, the first meeting between the two Aussies ought to be a good battle. Hewitt is battling to prolong these precious Grand Slam moments, and the 22-year-old Tomic is nearing the Top-20.
2. Simona Halep vs. Kateryna Bondarenko, 2nd Match, Ashe
A World No. 104 vs. the second seed would seem like a mismatch on most occasions. But Bondarenko, a former Top-30 player who didn’t touch a racquet for a year and a half after giving birth to her daughter Karin, has returned to the game and showed great form at times this summer, despite the low ranking.
Halep, meanwhile, appears to be back in a good place mentally after a spring and summer of discontent. The Romanian got some R & R and has shown up ready to battle in the summer. She reached back-to-back finals at Toronto and Cincinnati and arrived in New York as the WTA’s main draw hard-court win leader.
But one doesn’t have to scroll back very far to find Halep’s last loss to a player outside the Top-100 at a major—she lost to No. 106 Jana Cepelova at Wimbledon.
3. Roger Federer vs Steve Darcis, 1st Night Session Match
This promises to be a masterclass, but it’s always fun to see the Swiss maestro’s first night match at the Open. How many times will be able to see Federer grace Ashe with his regal brand of tennis? Two more years? Four? Whatever the case, let’s cherish the ATP’s all-time Grand Slam win leader, and let’s see what Belgian Steve Darcis can bring to the table in his first meeting with Federer.
Darcis, known for his giant upset of Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013, moved into the second round when Marcos Baghdatis retired down two sets to one and a break in the fourth set.
Federer, who owns a 26-1 record in night matches on Ashe, is bidding to become the first player to win six titles in US Open Open Era history. The Swiss has held serve in 61 consecutive service games dating back to Cincinnati, and he’s the oldest No. 2 seed since Ken Rosewall in 1972.
The former holder of a 40-match win streak in New York is considered by many to have a better shot to win this title than he has in the last five years.
By the Numbers
.880 Federer’s career winning percentage (73-10) in New York is second to only Pete Sampras (.887, 71-9) in the Open Era.
17 The Grand Slam record for retirements (11 men, 6 women), which occurred at the 2011 U.S. Open.
21 The number of times a woman has won a major title beyond the age of 30 in the Open Era. Serena Williams has won 8 of those 21 titles, and she became the oldest Open Era Grand Slam champion at Wimbledon when she won the title at 33 years and 285 days.