DJOKOVIC UNTROUBLED AS CILIC BATTLES THROUGH

September 5, 2015

Djokovic untroubled as Cilic battles through

World number one Novak Djokovic continued his assured progress through the early rounds of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Andreas Seppi.

Having dropped just 10 games across his two opening matches, Djokovic was always likely to face a stiffer test against the 25th seed.

Seppi has never made it past the third round at Flushing Meadows, however, and was unsurprisingly beaten with a degree of comfort as the 2011 champion booked his place in the last 16, triumphing 6-3 7-5 7-5.

It made it 11 straight wins without a loss for Djokovic against the Italian.

Djokovic will face Roberto Bautista Agut, who was the beneficiary of yet another retirement in New York.

The Spanish 23rd seed trailed David Goffin 6-2 7-5 3-6 1-3 when the Belgian retired.

Reigning champion Marin Cilic came through a titanic tussle with the stubborn Mikhail Kukushkin to book his place in the last 16.

Kukushkin - looking to make it beyond the third round in this event for the first time - triumphed in an opening-set tie-break and served for the second before Cilic seized control of proceedings.

The underdog refused to lie down and came from a break down in set four to force a decider, but Cilic ultimately prevailed 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-1 after four hours, 10 minutes.

Milos Raonic's tournament was ended by Feliciano Lopez as the Spanish left-hander claimed a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win.

There were will be an all-French fourth-round clash between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Benoit Paire.

Tsonga was too good for Sergiy Stakhovsky in a 6-3 7-5 6-2 win, while Paire reached the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time courtesy of a 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 6-1 victory over Tommy Robredo.