U.S. Open: American Mardy Fish cruises into third round

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Mardy Fish, 29, is playing in his 11th U.S. Open. He’s never gotten further than the quarterfinals. It is, Fish says, something that disappoints him about his career. It is the place where he thinks his game is best suited, and yet success hasn’t come.

Fish won his second round Thursday over qualifier Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Fish had the same effortless winning style in the first round as well, advancing 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 over Tobias Kamke of Germany. Fish, who is modest and never one to overestimate his level of play, said he hasn’t gotten much sense, yet, of how well he is playing.

‘I haven’t really been tested that much,’ he said. ‘I can’t do anything about that. I can’t do anything about who I come up against. Just happy to move on.’

Jaziri, 27, was the first Tunisian player to have reached the third round of a Grand Slam event in the open era, and the U.S. Open was Jaziri’s first tour-level event other than Davis Cup. So Fish was clearly the class of the matchup.

‘I think I’m playing well,’ Fish said. ‘I’m very confident right now. That guy is in the second round for a reason. He’s won four matches in a row [including qualifying]. But, yeah, he’s in a position that he’s never been in before. I guess I took advantage of that.’

Next up for Fish will be big-serving South African Kevin Anderson who upset 29th-seeded Michael Llodra of France 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

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-- Diane Pucin in New York