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Nadal, otherstars advance at US Open

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia at the US Open in New York on Friday. Nadal won 6-2, 6-3, 3-2. PHOTO: AP

Rafael Nadal played well on his injured left knee, Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic withstood an upset bid, Britain's Tim Henman bid farewell and five women's stars advanced on a busy Friday at the US Open.

Second-ranked Nadal, who struggled with tendinitis in an opening victory, reached the third round when Serbian Janko Tipsarevic retired because of a right side injury with the Spaniard leading 6-2, 6-3, 3-2.

"I feel better with a little bit more confidence in the knees," Nadal said. "I'm not 100 percent yet. I ran with a little trepidation but so much better than the other day."

Nadal, who beat top-ranked Roger Federer in the French Open final but lost to him in the Wimbledon final, still sees himself as a title threat.

"It's going to be difficult but I'm improving," he said. "That's going to be important. For the next match I hope it will be better and continue improving."

Federer, seeking his 12th Grand Slam title and fourth US Open title in a row, was scheduled to play a third-round match yesterday against 199th-ranked US player John Isner.

Nadal's next foe will be France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who defeated Henman 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the Englishman's tournament farewell. Henman, who turns 33 next week, will retire after a Davis Cup tie at Wimbledon.

"Tennis has served me well but time is time," Henman said. "A couple of good matches at the Davis Cup and I will leave this sport a happy man."

Djokovic, who reached his first Slam semi-finals this year at the French Open and Wimbledon, conquered 34th-ranked Czech rival Radek Stepanek 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) after four hours and 44 minutes.

"I'm very proud of myself. I don't even know how I managed to win," Djokovic said. "I'm happy with the way I was fighting all the way through. We had an unbelievable fight in a remarkable match. It was great fun."

Wimbledon champ Venus Williams and Serbian No. 5 seed Ana Ivanovic booked a fourth-round match. World No. 1 Justine Henin, Serbian No. 3 seed Jelena Jankovic and US eighth seed Serena Williams also advanced.

US 12th seed Venus Williams, who beat Ivanovic in a Wimbledon semi-final in July on her way to a sixth Grand Slam crown, fired 30 winners to beat Ukranian 21st seed Alona Bondarenko 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes.

"I feel like I win all the important points. That obviously makes a big difference," Venus Williams said. "I tell myself I can do it, I go out there and I execute. That's pretty much the game plan."

Ivanovic beat Russian Vera Dushevina 6-1, 6-3 and hopes to improve her 0-3 record against the elder Williams.

"She's in great shape. She's also playing good," Ivanovic said. "Definitely I think I have chances. I'm looking forward to that match because I'm in good shape. It will be exciting."

The younger Williams sister, who won her eighth Grand Slam title in January at the Australian Open, made 35 unforced errors but managed to outlast Russia's Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).

"I'm getting better. I'm happy I was able to come through," Serena Williams said. "I was upset after the match. I didn't play well at all ... I was mad at different points, different shots. I tried not to go as crazy as I usually do."

Crazy or not, she booked a fourth-round date with France's Marion Bartoli, who lost to Serena's elder sister in July's Wimbledon final, and moved closer to a potential quarter-final showdown with Henin.

Henin breezed past Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 6-2 in 50 minutes. The Belgian, who won her sixth Slam title at July's French Open, next faces Russian Dinara Safina.

"I was happy with my play," Henin said. "I was aggressive from the first point to the end. I'm very happy about that."

Third seed Jankovic rallied past French teen qualifier Alize Cornet 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and will face Germany's Sybille Bammer in the round of 16.

Djokovic, who next plays 59th-ranked Argentine teen Juan Martin Del Potro, was hugged by Stepanek after the struggle.

"After such a match, it had to be done. I didn't plan it. I just felt it was something to do," Stepanek said. "That match was really special."

Spanish eighth seed Tommy Robredo beat Mardy Fish of the US 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4 despite squandering two match points in the fourth-set tie-breaker and falling behind 4-1 in the fifth.

"I wasn't thinking to win this match. I was just fighting to the end. I was praying to God for a chance," Robredo said.

"I had a big monkey on my back because I had never won on this court. Now the monkey is gone," he said.
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