Nadal, Federer move to fourth round at US Open

Top seed Rafael Nadal from Spain and Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer stormed into the fourth round of the US Open with convincing victories.

Nadal on Saturday faced early troubles against Argentine Leonardo Mayer in the first set, but fought back and won the third-round match 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I don't feel extra pressure, and my pressure is always the same: the motivation to do it well in an event that I love. I played well in the past, and I always had a great connection with the crowd," Nadal said.

"I'm very very happy to win, I was in a tough situation after failing to convert on my first 14 break points. But I fought a lot, I was there mentally. Then I played better," added Nadal, who is next up against Alexandr Dolgopolov from Ukraine in the last-16 action.

Nadal has won the US Open on two occasions (2010 and 2013) and is widely expected to add to his tally this week, with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic sidelined by injury.

Third seeded Swiss Federer advanced to the last-16 round after making short work of Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.

He will be taking on 33rd seed, German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who is 0-11 for his career against Federer.

Federer, the 19-time Grand Slam champion, is seeking his record sixth title at the US Open.

"I struggled in the first two rounds, so it's nice to win in straight sets," the Swiss said. "I played a very clean match."

There were also wins for sixth seed Dominic Thiem of Austria, who defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in straight sets; Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, who beat Roberto Bautista of Spain; and ninth seed David Goffin of Belgium, who got past Gael Monfils of France in the third round.

In women's section, World No.1 Karolina Pliskova from the Czech Republic saved a match point to beat China's Zhang Shuai 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and advanced to the last 16.

"I was match point down and I thought I haven't tried many forehand winners down the line. That's what I did. I may not have got another chance. She got tight at the end of the second set, so I just waited for my chances," said the 25-year-old.

Had she lost on Saturday, Pliskova would also have lost her World No. 1 ranking to either Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain or Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, both of whom are still in the tournament.

Fourth seed Svitolina eased past Shelby Rogers of the US 6-4, 7-5 to also make last 16.

Home player Coco Vandeweghe posted a big win in the third round as she upset 10th seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

--IANS

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