JOIN USMurray, Serena steam ahead
Andy Murray produced a masterclass in tennis to destroy the highly rated Milos Raonic on Monday and book his place in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
The Olympic champion provided more evidence he could be ready to add a first Grand Slam title to the gold medal he won in London last month when he blunted one of the biggest serves in the game to win 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Serena Williams was just as ruthless as she charged into the women's quarters with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Czech Andrea Hlavackova while Roger Federer was gifted a spot in the last eight when Mardy Fish withdrew from the year's final Grand Slam.
Showing no mercy against her 82nd-ranked opponent, Williams sent an ominous warning of her intention to add the US Open title to her recent wins at Wimbledon and the London Olympics with a rare ‘double bagel’ victory in 57 minutes.
Williams won the last of her three US Open titles in 2008 but on the evidence of her performances so far, a fourth title at Flushing Meadows appears well within her reach although her toughest challenges await.
The American's next opponent is Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, a former world number one who has rediscovered her best after a lean few years where she struggled with injuries.
Ivanovic advanced on Monday with an impressive 6-0, 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.
Federer advanced to his 34th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal without hitting a ball on the Labour Day holiday in the United States as Fish pulled out with an undisclosed health issue.
The pair were due to clash in the fourth round but Fish, who missed part of the season because of a heart ailment and had treatment for an unspecified illness after his gruelling third round win over Gilles Simon on Saturday night, announced he was pulling out.
“I regret that I have to withdraw from the US Open for precautionary measures,” the American said in a statement. “I was reluctant to do so, but am following medical advisement. I had a good summer and look forward to resuming my tournament schedule in the fall.”
World number one Federer has not dropped a set in this year's US Open at Flushing Meadows. The 31-year-old Swiss will now play Tomas Berdych after the Czech sixth seed thrashed Spain's Nicolas Almagro 7-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the women's second seed, became the highest ranked casualty of the tournament when she lost to Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-4. The Italian will now play doubles partner and best friend Sara Errani after she upset Germany's Angelique Kerber 7-6, 6-3.
Croatia's big-serving Marin Cilic defeated Slovakia's Martin Klizan 7-5, 6-4, 6-0 to secure a place against Murray, who cruised to victory in two hours.
Raonic boasts one of the biggest serves in the game but Murray broke him four times and never once faced a break point on his own serve.
“It's the last major event of the season so I want to make sure I leave everything out there on the court,” Murray said. “Today was by far my best match of the tournament.”
Paes, Sania exit
Leander Paes and Sania Mirza, along with their respective partners, crashed out of the mixed doubles event of the US Open after losing in the quarterfinals here.
The third-seeded Indo-Russian pair of Paes and Elena Vesnina was stunned by the seventh-seeded Czech duo of Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak 6-7 (2-7), 5-7.
Sania along with her British partner Colin Fleming also went down in straight sets to fourth seeds Kveta Peschke of Czech Republic and Poland’s Marcin Matkowski.
Unseeded Sania and Fleming failed to match their more fancied opponents in the match to bow out in just 69 minutes, losing 3-6, 5-7.
Results (fourth round): Men’s singles: 3-Andy Murray (Gbr) bt 15-Milos Raonic (Can) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; 12-Marin Cilic (Cro) bt Martin Klizan (Svk) 7-5, 6-4, 6-0; 1-Roger Federer (Sui) w/o 23-Mardy Fish (US); 6-Tomas Berdych (Cze) bt 11-Nicolas Almagro (Esp) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-1.
Women’s singles: 20-Roberta Vinci (Ita) bt 2-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol) 6-1, 6-4; 10-Sara Errani (Ita) bt 6-Angelique Kerber (Ger) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; 4-Serena Williams (US) bt Andrea Hlavackova (Cze) 6-0, 6-0; 12-Ana Ivanovic (Srb) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (Bul) 6-0, 6-4.