NEW YORK _ Still nine days to go in the U.S. Open. Still at a stage of the tournament where some low-profile players, matched against the big names, need introductions.
So, meet Alex de Minaur, who knocked off 2014 Open runner-up Kei Nishikori of Japan on Friday, 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. And Italy's Paolo Lorenzi, who pushed 2016 Open champ Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland around Louis Armstrong Stadium for three hours before losing in three tightly contested sets, 6-4, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (4).
First de Minaur, a 20-year-old Australian who is climbing the rankings ladder steadily. He now has reached his first major tournament fourth round after dispatching the seventh-seeded Nishikori, de Minaur's first victory over a top-10 player. Already this year de Minaur has won his first two ATP Tour titles and now has prevailed in 11 of his 16 Grand Slam matches over the last two years.
