Djokovic wins as New York awaits Serena-Henin clash

New York, Sept 5: Third seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Open for the first time as the tournament braced itself for the last-eight showdown between Serena Williams and top seed Justine Henin today.

Djokovic, 20, triumphed 7-5 7-6 6-7 6-1, needing three hours and 53 minutes to subdue Monaco, a 23-year-old Argentine who had never won a match at Flushing Meadows before this year.

The 23rd seed Monaco played some inspired tennis, saving a match point in the third set before winning it 8-6 on a tiebreak.

Djokovic, however, played an aggressive 34-minute third set to gain a spot in the last eight. The hard-hitting Serb had 14 aces but 59 unforced errors in the winning effort.

Other fourth-round winners included former world number one Carlos Moya of Spain and Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela.

Set to play a quarterfinal match under the lights in sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium today were world number and 2003 titlist Henin and two-times champion Williams.

Following the Henin-Williams affair, world number two Rafael Nadal, playing well despite injuries to both knees, will face Spanish compatriot David Ferrer for a spot in the quarters.

VERY MOTIVATED

Moya, 31, gained a spot in the last eight by surviving a courageous challenge from 19-year-old Latvian Ernests Gulbis to win 7-5 6-2 6-7 6-4 in two-and-a-half hours.

''These kind of matches, they're the ones that keep me very motivated,'' said Moya, who will face Djokovic in the quarters.

''The (four-set) match I won the other day against (Philipp) Kohlschreiber, it's amazing.

''That feeling gives me 10 years more of my career. You're so happy when you finish that kind of match. Like today in such a great stadium, fourth round of a grand slam, still beating these young guys. These are the things that give me so much motivation to keep going.'' Chela, the 20th seed, outlasted unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6 6-2 7-6 1-6 6-4 to reach his first Open quarter-final.

Wawrinka led 2-0 in the deciding set but the more experienced Chela recovered to set up a meeting with second seed Nadal or 15th seed Ferrer.

The match was the 22-year-old Wawrinka's third five-setter of the tournament and the world number 49 said the long matches had finally taken their toll.

''Today was very difficult physically to play and to stay in the same level,'' said Wawrinka, who lost to the 22nd-ranked Chela for the first time in three career matches.

Reuters
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