Federer breezes, Djokovic struggles through at US Open
Four-time defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the US Open while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic was pressed to send off a stubborn teen challenger.
Twelve-time Grand Slam champion Federer won his 30th consecutive US Open match on Sunday, defeating Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 to book a date with Russian Igor Andreev, who eliminated Spanish 13th seed Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
"It's good for me to not waste any energy, play well and move on," Federer said. "What counts is winning the tournament. You forget who you beat, how you won. I don't try to impress anybody in the early rounds. If it happens, great."
Third-seeded Serbian Djokovic subdued 19-year-old Croatian Marin Cilic 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) to book a fourth-round date with Spanish 15th seed Tommy Robredo, who defeated France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-3.
"Another tough opponent," Djokovic said of Robredo, whom he owns a 3-1 record against. "If I'm fresh enough mentally and physically I think I can get a poisitive outcome."
That could be a challenge after taking three hours and 52 minutes to oust a rival who won his first ATP title a week ago at New Haven.
"I had a very difficult match," Djokovic said. "Even if I lost he would deserve it."
Djokovic squandered a set point in the opening stanza and Cilic made him pay dearly with a backhand winner to capture the tie-breaker after 66 minutes. The Croatian fired eight aces and won 26-of-28 first serve points in the set.
Olympic bronze medallist Djokovic responded by breaking Cilic to begin the second set and served for the set at 5-4 before the Croatian answered by breaking back, leveling at 5-5 when Djokovic sent a forehand volley wide.
After breaking to complete the second set and even the match, Djokovic broke Cilic again to start the third set.
Cilic broke back to 2-2 with a running forehand cross-court winner, vowing to stay with the 2007 US Open runner-up, but Djokovic broke again for a 3-2 edge and served out the set.
After an exchange of breaks early in the fourth set, Cilic faltered with a 40-15 lead in the seventh game, netting a backhand and watching a net cord ball drop on his side of the net to hand Djokovic a break and a 4-3 lead.
Djokovic missed on two match points serving in the 10th game and surrendered a break to Cilic to level the set 5-5, the Croatian pumping his fist after a powerful forehand winner.
But the tie-breaker was all Djokovic, who used a pair of early winners to seize control and blanked Cilic in the decider.
"I was just trying to stay with him. He had a great first-serve percentage," Djokovic said. "In the last set he fell a little bit in that percentage and I took advantage."
Federer lost to top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon and French Open finals, staying two Slams shy of the all-time record 14 titles by Pete Sampras, and was dethroned from the rankings summit by the Spaniard two weeks ago after a record 237-week reign.
But the Swiss superstar responded Sunday with a powerful performance to subdue Stepanek.
"I returned well, didn't allow him to have many options," Federer said. "I was good off the baseline. I moved well and hit some great shots when I needed them. I've been serving well for the first three rounds. That's a good sign."
Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who lost to Federer in the US Open semi-finals each of the past two years, also reached the round of 16 by defeating 27th-ranked compatriot Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Davydenko next faces Luxembourg qualifier Gilles Muller, who outlasted Spain's Nicolas Almagro 6-7 (3/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6), 7-5.
Since winning his 14th career title in June at Warsaw, Davydenko had lost four of six matches before the Open. But he has found top form again and could face the Federer express again in this year's quarter-finals.
"I'm not top fit but I need to do everything to be top fit, fight every point," Davydenko said. "I'm really happy to win three rounds in three sets."
Also advancing to the last 16 was US eighth seed Andy Roddick, who defeated Italy's Andreas Steppi 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
"I was moving OK. I served well," Roddick said. "I can hit the ball more solid at times but I fought back really well. Now it's a matter of geting back into match shape and getting ready for the fourth round."
Next up for the 2003 US Open champion, the last Flushing Meadows men's singles winner not named Federer, will be Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez, who eliminated Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 7-5, 6-4 6-7 (3/7), 6-1.
AFP
