US Open:A cramping Novak Djokovic outlasted the Czech Radek Stepanek in a titanic second-round battle at the US Open yesterday, winning 6-7, 7-6, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 after four hours and 44 minutes.
World number 35 Stepanek produced some outstanding tennis and Djokovic twice came from behind to earn a clash with the Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro.
"I'd like to congratulate Radek," the Serb Djokovic said. "I really think he's a great player. We played a fantastic match today, unforgettable.
"I am totally exhausted. I have no energy. I smelt my shoes, they are so stinky but it's always good to win those matches."
Stepanek, who slipped outside the top 100 after missing the second half of last year with a neck injury, kept Djokovic off balance with subtle changes of pace and superb volleying.
But Djokovic, a semi-finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon, levelled at two sets all and played a near-perfect final-set tiebreak, winning it 7-2.
Women's top seed Justine Henin powered into the last 16 by easily beating the Russian qualifier Ekaterina Makarova.
The three-time reigning French Open champion from Belgium dispatched Makarova in just 50 minutes, winning 6-0, 6-2.
Henin wrapped up the first set in 18 minutes against a clearly nervous Makarova, who had upset the 28th seed, Ai Sugiyama, in the second round.
By the time the Russian managed to gain a little composure it was too late.
Makarova got a big cheer in the fourth game of the second set when she sent a forehand down the line that was too good for Henin and delivered her first game of the match at 3-1.
She managed to hold her serve again but not a third time. Makarova went 0-40 down and showed spirit to get back to deuce but Henin was not going to be denied, securing victory on a double fault.
Etienne de Villiers, the executive chairman of the ATP, said yesterday he did not believe tennis had a serious gambling problem despite a recent scandal.
The British Internet betting firm Betfair voided bets on a match in Poland last month after it spotted unusual patterns of betting, with more than 5 million wagered, about 10 times the normal amount for such a match.
A number of players have said they have been contacted by people offering them money to lose matches but De Villiers said he did not believe it was flooding the game.
"No player has been sanctioned under our programme and we don't believe there is a corruption problem in the sport," De Villiers told a press conference at the US Open.
In the ATP event in Sopot earlier this month, world number four Nikolay Davydenko won the first set against Martin Vassalo Arguello of Argentina.
But Betfair reported unusual betting patterns.
Despite the fact Davydenko was the higher-ranked player, the odds on him drifted as all the money came in for Arguello.
The Russian eventually quit at 2-1 down in the third set with a foot injury.
Betfair voided all bets and alerted the ATP.
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