Nadal cruises into US Open quarter-finals
September 08, 2010 11:32:27 UK
Rafael Nadal put in a business-like display to book his place in the quarter-finals of the US Open with victory against Feliciano Lopez at Flushing Meadows.
The top seed was in a professional rather than flamboyant mood as he cruised into the last eight with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win against fellow Spaniard Lopez, ranked 23rd seed for the tournament.
Nadal is currently 2.00 to win the 2010 US Open Outright with Roger Federer at 2.10.
The 24-year-old was quickly into his stride, breaking Lopez at the first attempt as he notched the first three games of the match.
The Wimbledon champion was forced to work hard at the start of the second set, which followed serve for four games until Lopez capitulated with a weak third service game.
Nadall was never asked too many serious questions by Lopez and will now go on to face Fernando Verdasco in the last eight after he came back from two sets down in another all-Spanish match-up against David Ferrer.
Ferrer, seeded 10th, was the unlucky loser as he went down 7-5 7-6 (10/8) 3-6 3-6 6-7 (4/7).
Nadal is 1.083 to move into the semi-finals while Verdasco can be backed at 7.50 to cause an upset.
Elsewhere, Stanislas Wawrinka followed up his win over Andy Murray by prevailing in a five-set epic against Sam Querrey to reach the last eight of a grand slam for the first time.
The Swiss 25th seed triumphed 7-6 (11-9) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 4-6 6-4 in a match lasting just shy of four and a half hours to seal a quarter-final tie with Mikhail Youzhny, who saw off the challenge of Tommy Robredo earlier in the day.
Wawrinka said: "It's the first time for me, so for sure I am very happy with that. It's something very important, and I knew before the match it was going to be tough, but I was really focused on the match, on staying with him."
Twelfth seed Youzhny had earlier secured a 7-5 6-2 4-6 6-4 win over Spain's Robredo.
Speaking after his victory, Youzhny said: "I actually liked how I played today.
"Of course, I made some mistakes. I was a little bit lucky in the fourth set but I also missed some chances in the third set.
"I have now reached two quarter-finals in the year (after the French Open) and maybe it will mean I will start to play a little bit more consistently, not just really well in some matches and not in others.''
Wawrinka is currently 1.90 to beat Youzhy, who can be backed at 1.90 in the quarter-final clash tomorrow.
View all Tennis betting