Fourth seed David Ferrer continued his smooth progress at the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Richard Gasquet.
Spaniard through to the last eight with ease
Fourth seed David Ferrer continued his smooth progress at the US Open with a straight-sets victory over Richard Gasquet.
The Spaniard had dropped only one set on his way to the fourth round and had too much consistency and quality for Gasquet, winning 7-5 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 to reach the quarter-final for the second time.
Gasquet probably should have taken the second set as he served for it and then had three set points on the Ferrer serve but the fourth seed saved them all and did not allow his concentration to waver during two lengthy rain delays.
Ferrer's best performance in New York came five years ago when he reached the semi-finals before losing to Novak Djokovic, and the pair are on course to meet in the last four again.
Ferrer is having a brilliant season and has now made the last eight at all four grand slams, with his best performance coming at the French Open, where he reached the semi-finals.
Amazing
The Spaniard said: "I'm very happy for that. This season was the best of all my career. I'm playing consistent all year."
Ferrer has been elevated into the top four because of the absence through injury of his countryman Rafael Nadal but, despite his success, he has been very much overshadowed by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Not that he is bothered, the 30-year-old saying: "For me that's normal. Djokovic and Murray and Federer - they deserve the attention because they are amazing players. So it's not a problem for me. I'm trying do my best. I don't care."
Ferrer completed his victory just in time before the rain came again, delaying the other fourth-round matches involving Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic and Andy Roddick.
