Novak Djokovic was planning to play LA which is something the top 4 have avoided, waiting to play the hardcourt tournaments as late as possible, starting with Toronto, a Masters 1000, followed by Cincinnati, another Masters 1000, followed by a week off, an the US Open.  However, Djokovic cited personal reasons for not attending and there was a request for Andy Murray to play since he was already training in the US.

Andy Murray agreed to show up as the number 1 seed.  His first opponent was unheralded American qualifier, Tim Smyczek.  For a while, this match looked like it would be a decidedly one-sided affair.  Smyczek seems like a very steady player with no huge weapons, but then Murray’s not the kind of guy that always goes for his shots.   Murray took the first set, 6-1.  Then, Murray got broken a few times in the second and lost that 6-4.  Finally, he focused and won the third set easily, 6-2.

Remember Alejandro Falla?  The guy that almost beat Roger Federer?  He played Ernests Gulbis who has been recovering since he lost in the first round at the French Open.  Gulbis had saved some 5 match points, but was unable to beat Falla, falling in a third set tiebreak.  4-6, 6-4, 7-6(8).  Falla plays Murray in the quarterfinals.

Feliciano Lopez had a tough straight set win over Dudi Sela.  James Blake shows signs of winning again.  He, too, had a tough straight set win over Benjamin Becker.  The two meet each other in the quarterfinals.

The other two quarterfinals are recently married Janko Tipsarevic playing Marcos Baghdatis and Sam Querrey playing veteran Rainer Schuettler. Baghdatis, Querrey, and Schuettler all required three set wins to reach the quarterfinals.