Roger Federer Into Quarters

2 months ago 08th Sep 12:45

Roger Federer bagged his place in the U.S. Open quarter finals yesterday with a straight sets win over Tommy Robredo.

The Spaniard played his part in a very close first set and Federer seemed to be just cruising along in second gear.

He needed just one break of serve to secure the first set 7-5 and from then on the Robredo challenge just disappeared.

The world number one broke in the third game of the second set before holding his own serve to open up a 4-1 lead. Robredo won just one more game in the second set before Federer secured a 2-0 lead.

There was more of the same in the third as Federer didn't move too far out of his comfort zone as Robredo once again began to struggle. He was broken in the first game and again in the third to hand Federer a comfortable 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory.

He will now face Robin Soderling in the quarter final in a re-match of the French Open final. Soderling has built on his surprise run to that French Open final, which saw him put out defending champion Rafael Nadal, by continuing to beat a string of very talented player.

His fourth round opponent was Nikolay Davydenko, who was yet to drop a set in this year's Open, but he had to retire after the third set.

The momentum of the match had swung back and forth between the two players and Soderling had a 7-5 3-6 6-2 lead when Davydenko called it a day.

Speaking to the BBC later Davydenko wasn't sure what had caused the injury saying: "Just some muscle problem, like groin muscle maybe. In the middle of second set I felt something painful in the muscle, and every point I have more and more pain.

"I called physio as I was thinking, 'What is wrong?' I really don't know if it was a big injury or small injury. And physios also cannot tell me anything. I need some MRI scan to check my muscle."

After a tough match against Jesse Witten which saw him performance below par Novak Djokovic was back on form in the night match as he dispatched Radek Stepanel in straight sets 6-1 6-3 6-3.

He will now face Spaniard Fernando Verdasco as he overcame John Isner in four sets. Isner, the conqueror of Andy Roddick earlier in the tournament, took the first set but Verdasco battled back.

The Spaniard and tenth seed won the next three to wrap up a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory. For the first time in over forty years there is no American left at the quarter final stage.

The other half of the draw battle for their place in the quarter finals as Rafael Nadal has a tricky test against Gael Monfils, it will be the first time he has played since aggravating an abdominal strain in his third round match.

Andy Murray is also back in action as he takes on Marin Cilic against whom he has 3-0 winning record.