World number one Rafael Nadal is through to the US Open quarter-finals for the first time in 4 years and is one win away from a semi-final showdown with Roger Federer after turning back the challenge of Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
The Spaniard, who needed just 1 hour and 41 minutes to finish off his unseeded opponent now goes on to face Andrey Rublev after the 19-year-old Russian beat 9th seeded Belgian David Goffin 7-5, 7-6, 6-3.
Dolgopolov, ranked 64th, had won two of his previous three matches against Nadal, but rarely threatened in New York.
Nadal fired 11 forehand winners off his dominant side, while Dolgopolov made 39 errors as his game grew increasingly wayward.
“I think I played a solid match,” said Nadal, who won the second of his two titles in 2013.
“Usually I play with not many mistakes. He can play amazing shots but sometimes a little bit unpredictable, so I tried to remain focus on myself.”
Federer meanwhile had a 6-4 6-2 7-5 win over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber and will next face Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro who came back from 2 sets down and saved 2 match points to beat 6th seed Dominic Thiem 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.
On the women’s side top seed Karolina Pliskova progressed to the last 16 after beating American Jennifer Brady 6-1, 6-0 in a match that lasted just 46 minutes.
Next up for the 25 year old is the winner of the match between Coco Vandeweghe and Lucie Safarova.