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US OPEN 2008: Federer cruises while Djokovic battles

Switzerland’s Roger Federer hits a return to Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic during their US Open third-round match at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Four-time defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the US Open on Sunday, while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic struggled to fend off a stubborn teen challenger.

Twelve-time Grand Slam champion Federer won his 30th consecutive US Open match, 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.

Third-seeded Serbian Djokovic subdued 19-year-old Croatian Marin Cilic 6-7 (7/9), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/0) after 3 hours, 52 minutes. Cilic had won his first ATP title only a week ago at New Haven.

Olympic bronze medalist Djokovic booked 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. Djokovic is 3-1 against Robredo.

Djokovic, last year’s US Open runner-up, 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.

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki hits a backhand return to Jelena Jankovic of Serbia during their US Open fourth-round match at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

Djokovic broke to begin the second set, but the Croatian broke back to 5-5 when the Serbian slashed a forehand volley wide. Djokovic broke again and took the second set, but Cilic forced impressive rallies.

Cilic dropped the last four points in the seventh game of the final set to surrender to break and a 4-3 edge, but Djokovic blew two match points in the 10th game and gave back a break, allowing Cilic to reach a tie-breaker.

France’s Marion Bartoli hits a forehand return to Sybille Bammer of Austria during their US Open fourth-round match at Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday. PHOTO: EPA

But Djokovic dominated the decider, using a pair of early winners to seize control for good.

Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who lost to Federer in the US Open semi-finals each of the past two years, defeated 27th-ranked compatriot Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Davydenko next faces Luxembourger 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 in 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.

Also advancing to the last 16 was eighth seed Andy Roddick of the US, who defeated Italy’s Andreas Steppi 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).

Next up for the 2003 US Open champion will be Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez, who eliminated Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1.

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles second-ranked Jelena Jankovic moved closer to her first Grand Slam title and reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki.

The 23-year-old Serbian advanced to the quarter-finals of the year’s last major tennis tournament, rallying in blustery conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium to defeat an 18-year-old who won August WTA titles in Stockholm and New Haven.

Jankovic, who spent a week as world No. 1 early last month, will next face Austrian Sybille Bammer, whom she has beaten in six of seven meetings, most recently in the fourth round of last year’s US Open.

Defeating Bammer yet again would ensure Jankovic a chance to reclaim the top spot, although Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina also remain in the mix to be No. 1 after the tournament.

Jankovic was down a set and in a fight during the second, before cracking the Danish teen on her third break-point chance of the sixth game for a 4-2 edge.

Jankovic, who also lost the first set to Wozniacki this year at Wimbledon, broke again to finish the second set and again in the fourth and sixth games of the third set to ensure she was triumphant.

Olympic champion Dementieva, who can take the top spot if she reaches her first Grand Slam final since the 2004 US Open, defeated China’s Li Na 6-4, 6-1 in just 61 minutes.

The Russian fifth seed booked a quarter-final date against 15th seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who rallied to defeat Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Bammer ousted French 12th seed Marion Bartoli 7-6 (7/3), 0-6, 6-4, with Bartoli weakened by a sick stomach and defying doctor’s advice not to play because of low blood pressure.
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