8 Sep 2010

Nadal edges closer to first U.S. Open final

6:54 pm on 8 September 2010

The world number one Rafa Nadal's edged closer to a place in his first U.S. Open final after beating fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals.

The U.S. Open title is the only grand slam title to have eluded him but with his fourth straight-sets win of this year's championship showed he's in ominous form, having recovered from knee injuries which have plagued him over the past year or more.

He'll play another Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco in the top eight.

Second seed Roger Federer hopes a return to one of his favourite surfaces will help him avenge his only loss to Robin Soderling when they meet in the quarter finals tomorrow.

Federer's won 12 of their 13 encounters, but Soderling won their last match on the clay at Roland Garros in the quarter finals of the French Open.

In the women's draw former champion Venus Williams has ended the run of French Open champion Francesca to go through to the semis where she'll play defending champion Kim Clijsters.