Roger that, Federer! Second seed in US Open quarterfinal

New York

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Swiss second seed Federer, seeking his sixth US Open title, dispatched US 13th seed John Isner 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 to reach a quarter-final against French 12th seed Richard Gasquet, who ousted Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

“Of course Roger will be the favourite of the match but I will have nothing to lose,” said Gasquet, who is 2-14 lifetime against the Swiss star.

Federer, trying to become at 34 the oldest US Open champion since Ken Rosewall in 1970, stretched his US Open win streak over Americans to 12 since losing to Andre Agassi in 2001.

Isner had held in 110 consecutive US Open service games since broken by Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round in 2013, but Federer ended that streak on match point to close out the victory in two hours and 39 minutes.

“John has one of the best serves in the game,” Federer said. “You have just got to hang around and win your service games.”

Federer also inflicted the first shutout tiebreak loss upon Isner. “I served very well, picked up his second serves,” Federer said. “You’ve got to get a little lucky.”

Wawrinka’s  challenge 

Wawrinka, 30, was upset by Young in a fifth-set tie-breaker at the 2011 US Open, but took the first set on a backhand return winner in the third game.

Young, 26, won the second set as the Swiss struggled with the forehand, Wawrinka smashing his racquet to the cement at one stage in frustration.

“Sometimes you don’t control yourself. You need to put the pressure out,” Wawrinka said. “I played really well after.”

“The set was so quick. I wasn’t there mentally. Calmed down a little bit. I began to be more aggressive, started moving my feet better.”

In a matchup of 29-year-old past US Open semi-finalists, Gasquet overcame a poor start to reach his second US Open quarter-final. He reached the 2013 US Open semi-finals.

“I started really bad. I was not confident on the court,” Gasquet said. “The second set was better. I played more aggressive. The fourth set was incredible. It’s a great victory for me to be in the quarter-finals.”