Friday 4 September 2015 07:18, UK
Simona Halep and Stan Wawrinka beat the heat with straight-sets wins to reach the third round of a sweltering US Open on Thursday while American hope Jack Sock wilted under the punishing conditions, collapsing on court.
As courtside temperatures pushed past 38C (100 Fahrenheit) at Arthur Ashe Stadium, second seeded Halep of Romania wasted little time finishing off Ukraine qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3 6-4 in just 76 minutes before escaping to the air-conditioned comfort of the players' lounge.
Fifth-seeded Wawrinka outslugged gutsy South Korean teenager Chung Hyeon, but still sweated out a 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 7-6(6) second round victory.
Next up for the French Open champion is Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium, who advanced when Sock retired due to cramping while leading 6-4 6-4 3-6 1-2.
Sock had looked in control of the match but began to show signs of distress in the third set, then sent a shock through the crowd when he began to cramp and dropped to the court as medical staff rushed to his aid.
The American grimaced in pain as he was wrapped in ice towels with bags of ice also placed around his body.
A wheelchair was brought out but after several minutes Sock was helped to his feet and, assisted by a trainer under each arm, he limped off the court.
The week-long heat wave has taken a heavy toll at the year's final Grand Slam with 12 players retiring due to the conditions or because of injuries in the opening round before Sock added his name to the casualty list in the second.
Germany's Angelique Kerber, the 11th seed, also took the express route into the third round by taming Italian Karin Knapp 7-5 6-2 while 20th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was a 7-5 6-4 winner over Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer.
Australian Sam Stosur, the 2011 US Open champion and the last player to beat world No 1 Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows four years ago, looked ready to make another run at the title as she crushed Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-1 6-1.
