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Fan favorites knocked out at US Open

Bethanie Mattek of the US, wearing an unusual leopard-style outfit, takes part in her women's doubles quarter-finals match on day nine of the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City on Tuesday. PHOTO: AFP

The tournament took a sharp twist on Tuesday -- and early yesterday -- when a pair of fan favorites at Flushing Meadows got knocked out.

First, it was Serena Williams. Top-seeded Justine Henin beat her for the third straight time in a Grand Slam quarter-final, making it look easy at the end in a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory.

"I got to go back and study and figure out how to beat her. That's it. Bottom line," Williams said.

Next up for Henin might be Serena's sister. Venus Williams plays No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the quarters yesterday, and the winner gets Henin in the semis.

Henin does not need to say who she'd prefer to play: she's 1-7 against Venus, 7-0 against Jankovic.

"Every match is a final for me now," Henin said. "If I have to play Venus, it will be a good challenge for me to play both sisters in the same tournament."

A lot of tennis fans were looking forward to seeing Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer meet in a third straight Grand Slam final. That won't happen now -- 15th-seeded David Ferrer upset the second-seeded Nadal 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in a fourth-round match that ended at 1:50am.

"Sure there is disappointment for me, but that is tennis," Nadal said.

The lower deck at Arthur Ashe Stadium was still nearly full when Nadal's last shot sailed long at 1:50am. It came close to the latest ending at the US Open -- back in 1993, Mats Wilander finished off Mikael Pernfors at 2:26am.

It capped a day that also saw a player lose a point when a ball fell out of his pocket, another complain about center court TV screens and one of the wildest outfits in Open history.

Trying for his fourth straight Open title, Federer was to play No. 5 Andy Roddick last night.

Earlier on Tuesday, No. 3 Novak Djokovic reached the Open quarter-finals for the first time by beating No. 23 Juan Monaco 7-5, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-1.

After his win, Djokovic talked about the Nadal-Federer history.

"Tennis needs this rivalry," he said. "But on the other hand, the people are not paying attention to the other players. I'm one of those players in that smaller group behind which is trying to break that. Break it through and make this group of two a little bit bigger."

Monaco was serving in the third-set tiebreaker when the ball he'd put in his pocket in case of a fault slipped out during the point. It was the second time in the match that happened, automatically costing him the point.

"I went nuts! I was cursing at me. I was yelling at my pants," Monaco said. "Right away I knew I lost that point. It's very weird."

At 20, Djokovic is the youngest player left in the men's draw. He'll next face the oldest man remaining, 31-year-old Carlos Moya.

The 17th-seeded Moya defeated Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4, closing the match by winning a net duel with a backhand, cross-court volley.

"Still beating these young guys," Moya said. "I feel, like, 20 years old."

In another match, No. 20 Juan Ignacio Chela beat Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-4. Wawrinka had been 8-0 in five-set matches, and saved his best swings until after points were played -- he smashed two rackets.

Nadal's loss included a scene rarely seen: the energetic Spaniard wincing and dropping to the court. That happened right in front of his family's box late in the match when he simply wore down.

Nadal came into the tournament with bad knees, and the left-hander needed ice for his racket hand late in the match.

"I prefer not to speak about my body right now," Nadal said, adding it would sound like an excuse.

Nadal and Federer split the previous two Slams; Nadal beat him in the French Open, Federer avenged that at Wimbledon.

"Tonight," Ferrer said, "all was perfect."

Henin sent Williams out of the tournament. As Williams waited for a courtesy car at the player exit, her mother gave her a hug.

"It's kind of like she had no energy. No get-up-and-go," said Williams' mother and coach, Oracene Price. "Tennis is a head game, sometimes. Your head tells you to do something, but you can't."

Also bowing out was Bethanie Mattek.

She came to the US Open dressed in a revealing, metallic gold Wonder Woman ensemble and left wearing leopard-print shorts so skimpy that Earley needed to rule whether they were OK.

Mattek lost in singles last week and in the doubles quarter-finals on Tuesday. Known for outlandish outfits, she made an eye-popping exit: leopard-print headband, low-cut leopard-print top and those leopard-print shorts.

"Taste aside, it's within the attire standards," Earley said. "Am I thrilled? Well ..."

Mattek is ranked 123rd and realizes what she wears is what makes her special.

"There's a method to my madness," she said. "Even if they hate it, they'll come see me play again."

Screens irk Ferrer

Most players want to see themselves on the big screen. Not David Ferrer -- even while playing the match of his life.

Early in his fourth-round upset of No. 2 Rafael Nadal, Ferrer started pointing at his eyes. He complained to the chair umpire when he was ahead 2-1, and did it again a few minutes later.

Why? The big video screens high above the court at either end of Arthur Ashe Stadium were distracting him. He wound up getting into an argument about it with tournament referee Brian Earley, who walked out on court to hear Ferrer's side during a changeover.

"It's unbelievable," Ferrer said. "It's impossible to focus."

Earley listened, then delivered the bad news: The giant video boards were staying on.

"He said it was distracting him. This is his first time playing on this court, so you can understand it," Earley said. "But we're not turning it off. It'll stay on."

Back in 2001, when the screens were new, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras wanted them turned off -- and tournament officials agreed. But everyone else quickly adjusted, and from then on, Agassi and Sampras could request a blackout -- but no one else.
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