Marcos’ US Open campaign ended in the third round on Sunday in New York as he was beaten by ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(1), 7-6(7). It was Marcos’ best showing at Flushing Meadows in eight appearances.
Marcos made a strong start to his third meeting with Wawrinka, breaking the Swiss for a 3-2 lead in the first set. However, Wawrinka responded by winning the next six games, clinching the opener and establishing a 2-0 lead in the second set. Wawrinka broke again in the eighth game to earn a two-set lead.
Marcos refused to concede the fight and his perseverance paid off in the fourth set. He cut his unforced error count and as the temperatures in New York began to soar, he coped better with the conditions. He was denied a set point in the 12th game, but dominated the ensuing tie-break, taking the set with a backhand cross court winner.
Marcos carried his momentum into the fourth set and broke Wawrinka as the Swiss hit a backhand long. Marcos saved a break point in the following game, but Wawrinka got back on level terms in the sixth game, benefitting from a double fault from Marcos.
Marcos missed a chance to break at 5-5, miscuing a forehand behind the baseline, but showed great fighting spirit in the tie-break. He recovered from 4-1 to 4-4 and saved three match points at 6-4 and 7-6 to stay alive in the contest, to the delight of the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd. But a backhand error from Marcos gave Wawrinka a fourth chance and the Swiss converted with an unreturned serve after three hours and 21 minutes.
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