New York: Mikhail Youzhny briefly slowed Spain's march through the U.S. Open bracket. The 12th-seeded Russian beat Tommy Robredo, the lowest-ranked man left in the draw, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals. The 41st-ranked Robredo was one of a record six Spanish men to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
Two will make the quarters: No. 1 Rafael Nadal faces 23rd-seeded Feliciano Lopez and eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco takes on No. 10 David Ferrer in a pair of all-Spanish matchups later on Tuesday.
Countryman Albert Montanes lost on Monday to fifth-seeded Robin Soderling, who moves on to challenge a familiar foe. The Swede will play five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer — Soderling beat Federer at this year's French Open to end the Swiss star's string of 23 straight Grand Slam semifinal appearances.
"I think it's always a very nice feeling to play against the world's best," Soderling said Monday. "It's matches like that that you train for. It's matches like that I've been dreaming of playing since I started playing tennis. You know, playing at the big courts in the big tournaments. It's very fun."
In the quarterfinal opposite Federer-Soderling, No. 3 Novak Djokovic faces No. 17 Gael Monfils. Djokovic dispatched No. 19 Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to leave only one American man in the draw, No. 20 Sam Querrey.
Querrey was playing No. 25 Stanislas Wawrinka on Tuesday in a quarter of the draw that doesn't have a top-10 seed left.
"I think the world of Sam's game," Fish said. "I really think he's got a lot of upside. If he were a stock, I'd buy big time."
In the featured women's match on Monday, No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki defeated No. 14 Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. Next, Wozniacki plays unseeded Dominika Cibulkova, who defeated No. 11 Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 7-6 (4). The bottom half of that side of the bracket pits No. 31 Kaia Kanepi against No. 7 Vera Zvonareva.
The other side of the women's draw is tougher. In Tuesday's quarterfinals, it will be No. 2 Kim Clijsters, the defending champion, against No. 5 Sam Stosur, and No. 3 Venus Williams against No. 6 Francesca Schiavone.
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