Roger Federer won't have to wait long to try and end his string of slow starts at the U.S. Open. Federer plays early and Novak Djokovic goes late — which should help him get his sore left shoulder ready to play — as the two stars bookend third-round action on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Federer starts the schedule against Daniel Evans, and the five-time champion hopes to avoid digging himself another hole after dropping the opening set in his first two matches for the first time in his 19 U.S. Open appearances. Serena Williams follows him, and after an all-American matchup between Madison Keys and Sofia Kenin, Djokovic meets Dennis Kudla. The defending champion needed treatment on his shoulder a few times during his second-round match, but was able to fight through to win in straight sets. Also, teenagers Coco Gauff and Caty McNally play their first-round doubles match against the team of Julia Goerges and Katerina Siniakova.
FRIDAY'S FORECAST
Sunny. High of 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius).
THURSDAY'S WEATHER
Sunny. High of 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius).
THURSDAY'S KEY RESULTS
Men's second round: No. 2 Rafael Nadal advanced when Thanasi Kokkinakis withdrew with a right shoulder injury; No. 5 Daniil Medvedev beat Hugo Dellien 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3; No. 6 Alexander Zverev beat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; No. 14 John Isner beat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5); No. 17 Nikoloz Basilashvili beat Jenson Brooksby 3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-2; No. 28 Nick Kyrgios beat Antoine Hoang 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Women's second round: No. 1 Naomi Osaka beat Magda Linette 6-2, 6-4; Taylor Townsend beat No. 4 Simona Halep 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4); Andrea Petkovic beat No. 6 Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-4; Yulia Putintseva beat No. 9 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (3); Coco Gauff beat Timea Babos 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
STAT OF THE DAY
106 — Trips to the net by Taylor Townsend, winning the point on 64 of them, in her victory over No. 4 seed Simona Halep.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It's been a long road. A lot of haters, a lot of people who weren't sure. I mean, I've heard it for a really long time that I was never going to make it, that I wasn't going to be able to break through or do this or do that." — Taylor Townsend, after beating Wimbledon champion Simona Halep.