US Open 2011 Update – Day 8: Serena, Federer, The Quarterfinals

Written by: Staff on 5th September 2011

US Open 2011 Update - Day 8: Serena, Federer, The Quarterfinals

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA |

(Courtesy of the USTA)

US OPEN UPDATE – DAY 8

After a first week dominated by the youngsters, Labor Day belongs to the two leading American contenders at this year’s US Open, with 29-year-olds Mardy Fish and Serena Williams both in action against dangerous opponents. Fish, one of four American men into the round of 16, takes on the mercurial Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a matchup featuring two of the four men’s players who have yet to drop a set this tournament. Williams, meanwhile, faces the first of three potential former Grand Slam champions in Ana Ivanovic, who is hoping to make a long-awaited return to a Grand Slam quarterfinal. And tonight Roger Federer will look to move into the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam for a 30th straight time, including eight in a row at the US Open.

FEDERER LOOKS TO EXTEND QUARTERFINAL STREAK

Roger Federer today faces Juan Monaco looking to extend his streak of consecutive quarterfinals at the US Open to eight and his overall streak of quarterfinals at Grand Slam events to 30, the best all-time in the Open Era. In fact, Federer has reached the semifinals or better here each of the last seven years. (His last loss before the quarterfinals at the US Open came in 2003, when he lost in four sets to David Nalbandian.)

TOP SEEDS KEEP COMING FOR SERENA

The road for Serena Williams gets no easier today, as she faces former world No. 1 and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round after knocking out No. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka in the third round. The victory over Azarenka improved Serena’s record against seeded opponents at the US Open to 26-7. In fact, Serena has won her last seven matches against seeded opponents at the US Open, all in straight sets. (Her lone loss in that span came to an unseeded Kim Clijsters in the 2009 semifinals, and her last loss to a seed came against No. 1 Justine Henin in the 2007 quarterfinals.) Moreover, Serena owns a 2-0 record against Ivanovic that includes a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the Serb in the third round of the 2006 US Open.