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Updated Monday, September 6, 2010 9:08 pm TWN, By Jim Slater, AFP

Roger Federer, of Switzerland, returns a shot against Paul-Henri Mathieu, of France, during their men's singles match at the 2010 U.S. Open, Saturday, Sept. 4.

(AP)

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Showdown nears for Federer, Soderling

Also advancing to the fourth round was Serbian third seed Djokovic, who eliminated U.S. wildcard James Blake 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3 to book a date with U.S. 19th seed Mardy Fish.

“It felt like Hurricane Earl came to the center court. It was incredible,” Djokovic said. “It was a big mental struggle just to stay on the court and stay focused. If James had won the second set it could have been a different match.”

Federer, trying for his seventh U.S. Open final in a row, next faces Austrian 13th seed Jurgen Melzer, whom Federer ousted in this year's fourth round at Wimbledon in their only prior meeting.

Soderling will meet Spanish 21st seed Albert Montanes, who led 6-2, 2-1 when 147th-ranked Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori retired after only 38 minutes with a groin injury.

“He was not well physically so that was lucky for me,” Montanes said. “I realized he was very flat. He was not moving. I tried not to think of that but he was moving quite slowly.”

Federer, seeking his 64th career title, had won 40 U.S. Open matches in a row before losing last year's final to now-injured Juan Martin Del Potro.

Federer saved a break point on a service winner in the eighth game and broke on an errant Mathieu backhand in the ninth to win the first set and took the second when Mathieu double faulted away breaks in the third and last games.

“The first set was key,” Federer said. “After that I was able to break it back and break his will a little bit.”

Federer broke Mathieu in the sixth game of the last set, then saved three breaks points in the final game and held to win in 99 minutes.

Melzer beat Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 to book a date with Federer.

“I really enjoyed the way I played,” Melzer said. “I was really on top of him and really had the momentum going.”

Montanes claimed his first spot in the fourth round in 36 Grand Slam trips. He was among nine Spaniards in the third round, the most at any Open-era Slam.

French 17th seed Gael Monfils fired 17 aces and 56 winners to beat Serbia's 44th-ranked Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4.

Monfils booked a fourth-round match with countryman Richard Gasquet, who ousted South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-5. Monfils and Gasquet each matched their best U.S. Open result by reaching the fourth round.

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