Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday, taking a crucial step toward a possible first-ever Grand Slam matchup on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.
And the last-16 roadblocks to their potential quarter-final showdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium are a combined 1-19 in their respective personal matchups against the superstar duo.
Spanish second seed Nadal, a 12-time Grand Slam champion, stretched his career-best hardcourt win streak to 18 matches by beating 38th-ranked Croatian Ivan Dodig, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Federer, seeking his 18th Grand Slam title and sixth US Open crown, fired eight aces and 34 winners in defeating 63rd-ranked French left-hander Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-0, 6-2.
On the women’s side, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka advanced in three sets and Daniela Hantuchova saved four match points to reach the last 16, but Grand Slam winners Petra Kvitova and Svetlana Kuznetsova and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki were beaten.
Next up for Federer, in his lowest Grand Slam seeding since 2002 at seventh, will be Spanish 19th seed Tommy Robredo, who has lost all 10 matches he has played against the Swiss star, the past four in Grand Slams.
Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams in last year’s final, outlasted French 26th seed Alize Cornet 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-2.
“The first set Alize played really well and I made too many mistakes,” said Azarenka. “In the second set I started to take advantage of my opportunities and that made the difference.”
Next up for Azarenka will be Serbian 13th seed Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion who edged Christina McHale 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Italian 21-year-old qualifier Camila Giorgi, ranked 136th in the world, stunned Danish sixth seed Wozniacki 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
“It was amazing this match,” Giorgi said. “I’m really excited.”
Next for Giorgi is 10th-seeded compatriot Roberta Vinci, who eliminated Italian Karin Knapp 6-4, 6-3.
Czech seventh seed Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion diagnosed with a virus on Friday, made 27 unforced errors and seven double faults in losing to 81st-ranked US wildcard Alison Riske 6-3, 6-0.
Riske next faces 48th-ranked Slovak Hantuchova, who struggled with a sore right shoulder but beat Israeli qualifier Julia Glushko 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
Russian 27th seed Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open champion, made 35 unforced errors in losing 7-5, 6-1 to Italy’s 83rd-ranked Flavia Pennetta.