Spaniards shine in New York

Ferrer: Faces Verdasco next

If you need to lose, it's better to lose against a Spanish player, then at least one guy is going to be here for one round more

Fernando Verdasco
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The Spanish contingent at the US Open continue to prosper as David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco advanced to the fourth round.

World number one Rafael Nadal was not the sole focus of his country for once as Ferrer and Verdasco starred on Sunday to set up a clash in the last 16.

10th seed Ferrer, a Flushing Meadows semi-finalist in 2007, is in the second week of the New York showpiece after a comfortable 7-6 6-2 6-2 win over yet another Spaniard, Daniel Gimeno-Traver.

Verdasco, the eighth seed, needed four sets to beat Argentina's David Nalbandian and is looking forward to the all-Iberian showdown with Ferrer.

Boost

"It's good that there is going to be for sure one Spanish player in the quarter-finals," said the big-hitting left-hander. "It's always nice to see all the Spanish winning and being in the last rounds.

"If you need to lose, it's better to lose against a Spanish player, then at least one guy is going to be here for one round more.

"I'm happy. I hope to play well in the next round too, keep doing my work and my job as best as possible. I'm trying to be in the quarter-finals like last year.

"The last few weeks before here the results were really tough. I lost to Mardy (Fish) 7-6 7-6 and also to (Jeremy) Chardy with the tie-breaks. They were tough matches, close matches, but I lost all of them.

"So I'm happy how is this tournament going and I'm getting much more confidence. Beating Nalbandian, one of the players in the best form this summer, is gonna help me for my confidence."

There has been an armada of Spanish talent at this year's US Open, with a record nine players in the third round of the final major of the season.