US Open: Rafael Nadal gets walkover; Alexander Zverev prevails again

Alexander Zverev celebrates beating Frances Tiafoe. Pic/AFP

New York: World No. 2 Rafael Nadal advanced to the US Open third round by walkover on Thursday after Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew from the tournament with a right shoulder injury.

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev survived a second successive five-set marathon match at the US Open as he outlasted American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 on Thursday. Germany's Zverev was taken the distance by Radu Albot in his opening match and 45th-ranked Tiafoe forced him into another decider before last year's ATP Finals champion battled through to round three to equal his best US Open run.

The Spaniard, an 18-time Grand Slam winner and three-time US Open champion, will next face the winner of a later match between South Korean qualifier Chung Hyeon and Spanish 32nd seed Fernando Verdasco. Nadal's path to the final, already eased with "Big Three" rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the opposite side of the draw, had opened up further before Nadal got the break of extra rest.

Spain's Navarro fined $40k for poor effort

New York: Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro has been fined $40,000 by the US Open for lack of effort in her first-round match against Hungarian qualifier Timea Babos, tournament referee Soeren Friemel said. Navarro retired at the end of the first set with a lower back injury.

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