Defending champion Serena Williams advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, while Rafael Nadal kept alive his chances of claiming the only major tennis title that still eludes him.
Williams eased past Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-0 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York before Nadal beat Spanish countryman Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 on the same Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
“It was a difficult match,” No. 3 seed Nadal said in a courtside interview. “I’m happy to be in the fourth round.”
Six-time Grand Slam winner Nadal is playing his first major since he exited the French Open in the fourth round. Unable to defend his Wimbledon title a month later because of knee tendonitis, Nadal lost his top ranking to Roger Federer, who won at Roland Garros and the All England Club to reach a record 15 Grand Slam single titles.
Both Nadal and Almagro received treatment from the trainer on court after the third game of the third set, Nadal for an abdominal problem and No. 32 Almagro for a back issue. “I feel it a little bit,” Nadal said. “I’ll try my best to recover for the next match.” Nadal, who faced 13 break points and dropped serve five times today, will face France’s Gael Monfils or Jose Acasuso of Argentina for a place in the quarterfinals.
Williams cruised past Hantuchova to set up a quarterfinal meeting with seventh seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia or Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, the 10th seed, who play tonight. “I traditionally play really well in my fourth-round matches,” Williams told a news conference. “I just want to keep this level and just stay focused and play well.”
The American, who’s seeking a 12th Grand Slam singles title, dominated from the outset and won the last 10 games. Williams produced 27 winners, three times more than 24th-ranked Hantuchova, to take an 8-1 lead in meetings against the Slovakian. Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Williams, who has won 29 of her past 30 matches in Grand Slam tournaments, is ranked second on the WTA Tour partly because she’s played only 12 tournaments this year.
Dinara Safina of Russia will keep her No. 1 ranking for at least two weeks even after last night joining former U.S. Open champions Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova in exiting at the third-round stage. Safina, who has yet to win a major, lost to Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) in a match that ended at almost 1 a.m. local time. Roddick and Sharapova were beaten by unseeded Americans John Isner and Melanie Oudin.
In other results today, France’s Gilles Simon retired with a knee injury against former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain. No. 9 seed Simon trailed former French Open champion Ferrero 2-1 in sets.
Li Na, the No. 18 seed from China, beat Italy’s Francesca Schiavone and former Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile defeated Czech Tomas Berdych.
Britain’s Andy Murray, last year’s losing finalist, plays American wild card Taylor Dent in the last match of the day.
