Querrey finally will be showcased at Ashe Stadium

There was no "careful what you wish for'' hesitation for Sam Querrey. The 22-year-old Californian, enjoying a breakthrough year, has been agitating since the start of the U.S. Open to be scheduled on Arthur Ashe Stadium's show court, and this afternoon, he will get his wish in a match against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.

With each of his first three matches on the No. 2 court at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Querrey was polite but forceful in noting that the American men (besides 2003 champion Andy Roddick) had to earn their way to Ashe via early matches.

No. 18 John Isner played twice at Louis Armstrong Stadium before his third-round match, which he lost Sunday night, at Ashe. No. 19 Mardy Fish played on the Grandstand court once and Armstrong twice before yesterday's loss at Ashe to No. 3 Novak Djokovic.

Each of Querrey's first three matches was at Armstrong, with a 10,000-plus capacity that isn't quite half of what Ashe holds.

"I'm not thrilled with the scheduling," Querrey said. "I definitely think it could hurt" the Americans not to get a feel for Ashe, where the swirling winds and stadium vastness are said to present entirely different circumstances than the other National Tennis Center courts.

"I think we'd be more comfortable if John, Mardy and myself for the first rounds had gotten to play on Ashe, then all of a sudden, you're on Ashe for the first time. I don't know what goes into the schedule. I know a lot of it is TV and stuff like that. I don't have any control over that."

At No. 20, Querrey is playing with his highest Open seed since he debuted here in 2006. None of his 10 Open matches before this year was at Ashe, either.

Now that he is there, Querrey's quarter of the draw has opened up nicely: The top two seeds in that section, No. 4 Andy Murray and No. 7 Tomas Berdych, have been upset, leaving Russia's Mikhail Youzhny the highest seed - at 12 - and Querrey next at No. 20. (Whoever gets out of that quarter most likely will be greeted in the semifinals by No. 1 Rafael Nadal.)

"Sam seems like he's in a good spot now," Fish said. In Wawrinka, Querrey Tuesday will be facing the No. 25 seed, the man who upset Andy Murray on Sunday. At Ashe Stadium.