Wilson’s [K] Factor Sweeps Through Week 1 of US Open
September 2, 2008
Chicago — Wilson athletes soared through week 1 of the 2008 US Open with their [K] Factor rackets. With his [K] Six.One 95, Mardy Fish beat No. 32 seed Gael Monfils of France 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 in just under 2 hours. Fish soared past Monfils by winning 80 percent of first serve points and hitting 49 winners in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Fish also converted 6 of 13 break point opportunities, as opposed one break of serve for Monfils. He improved to 30-20 on the season (24-12 on hard courts).
18-year-old, Kei Nishikori playing with his [K] Tour, ranked No. 126, is the youngest to reach the round of 16 at the US Open since Marat Safin did it in 1998. To get there, Nishikori knocked out No. 4 seed David Ferrer, a US Open semifinalist last year. Nishikori snatched the first two sets but had to battle to come back to win the hour-long final fifth set. The victory over Ferrer was Nishikori’s second over a top-20 player. Earlier this year Nishikori, ranked No. 244 in the world, his earned his first career ATP title, beating James Blake in the final of Del Ray Beach. Nishikori also managed to take a set off Nadal at Queen’s Club, just two weeks before Nadal captured the Wimbledon crown. He is also the first Japanese man to reach the US Open’s final 16 in the Open era.
No. 17 seed Juan Martin del Potro, with his [K] Six.One 95, became the first teenager to reach the US Open quarterfinals since 2001, as he defeated a fellow Wilson athlete, Kei Nishikori, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. This was the first time two teenagers met in the fourth round at the US Open since Andy Roddick beat Tommy Robredo seven years ago.
The 19-year-old del Potro extended his match winning streak to 23 in a row, second-best on the ATP circuit this season behind Rafael Nadal’s 32. Del Potro is the first player since Karel Novacek in 1992 ranked outside the Top 10 to have won at least 15 matches in a row. During his winning streak, del Potro has risen from No. 65 to his current career-high No. 17 ATP Ranking. He is projected to break the Top 15 with his quarterfinal result. If del Potro reaches the semifinals and other results go his way, he would break the Top 10. Del Potro converted seven of 10 break points in the two hour and eight minute match.
In a four-hour match on Sunday night, Novak Djokovic with his [K] Blade Tour, finally overcame Marin Cilic of Croatia in four sets, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (0). But despite Cilic’s excellent play, he was no match for Djokovic, who is having the best year of his career. Djokovic will play No. 15 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain in the fourth round.
Wilson’s [K] Factor technology has also guided other players to victory. Playing with his [K] Six.One Tour, Roger Federer sails through to the 4th round without dropping a set. Venus and Serena Williams will square off once again in the US Open quarterfinals. Both playing with [K] Blade Team rackets, the Wednesday meeting will be the 17th career match for the sisters, who have split their previous 16 meetings.
Wilson Racquet Sports is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sports equipment and owned by Amer Sports. Wilson designs, manufactures and distributes sporting goods throughout the world and focuses on making technologically advanced products which help players of all levels perform better. Wilson’s core sport categories include: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Youth Sports, Uniforms/Apparel, Golf, Footwear and Racquet Sports (Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton and Platform Tennis). For more information, visit wilson.com.