Defending champion Roger Federer was forced to dig deep to avoid a fourth-round upset at the US Open.
Defending champion digs deep to reach the last eight
Defending champion Roger Federer was forced to dig deep to avoid a fourth-round upset at the US Open.
Federer, who has won four successive titles at Flushing Meadows, had not lost a set in his first three matches of his 2008 challenge.
However Igor Andreev took Federer all the way before the Swiss second seed finally clinched a 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 3-6 6-3 success.
And having struggled to find his top form in the match, Federer admitted he was relieved to reach the quarter-finals.
"He was dictating play," said Federer. "I don't remember that many (five-set matches).
"Being down a set and tiebreak in the second set there is danger written all over that situation.
"You just hope that it's going to turn your way. It did. So I'm happy."
Pressure
However while Federer managed to survive, Nikolay Davydenko was not as fortunate.
The fifth seed, who reached the semi-finals at the US Open in 2006 and 2007, crashed out 6-4 4-6 6-3 7-6 (12-10) to Gilles Muller.
"It's true I have nothing to lose, but on the other hand I have a lot to win," Muller said.
"There's still some pressure, but it's easier to deal with the pressure to win something than to lose something."
American Andy Roddick is also through to quarter-finals after brushing aside 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez 6-2 6-4 6-1.
The eighth seed dropped just nine points on his own serve - facing just a solitary break point as he outclassed the Chilean.
"I was happy with the way I executed the game plan tonight," said Roddick, who will now face Novak Djokovic in the last eight.
