CBSSpor If Roger Federer is going to reach a seventh consecutive U.S. Open title match, he might need to get past the man who ended his Grand Slam semifinal streak.

Five-time U.S. Open champion Federer was given a possible quarterfinal against two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling in Thursdays draw. The No. 5-seeded Soderling upset Federer in the quarterfinals in Paris this year, stopping Federers record run of reaching at least the semifinals at 23 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.

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“Im motivated to do well because I love New York, I love playing in Arthur Ashe [Stadium],” Federer said. “If I couldnt get motivated by this stadium and this city, then Id have some issues.”

The other mens matchups in the quarterfinals could be No. 1-seeded Rafael Nadal against No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, two-time major finalist Andy Murray against Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, and No. 3 Novak Djokovic against No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko or No. 9 Andy Roddick.

The top-seeded woman, 2009 runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, could face 2006 champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round and 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.

Other possible womens quarterfinals set up Thursday are defending champion Kim Clijsters against French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur, 2000-01 U.S. Open winner Venus Williams against French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, and 2008 U.S. Open finalist Jelena Jankovic against Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva.

“I know if I play well that I can beat anybody out there,” said Clijsters, who also won the 2005 Open, “so thats what Im going to try to achieve.”

Murray, hoping to become the first British man since 1936 to win a Grand Slam title, could meet No. 20-seeded Sam Querrey of the United States in the fourth round. Another American, Wimbledon marathon man John Isner, is seeded 18th and also is in that quarter of the draw.

In the semifinals, Murray was drawn to meet Nadal, who lost in that round in New York each of the past two years and is trying to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open for the first time.

Federer was drawn to meet Djokovic or Roddick in the semifinals. Federer beat Djokovic in the 2007 U.S. Open final and the 2008 and 2009 semifinals.

“Over the la and that gives me enough reason to believe I can go far this year,” Djokovic said, “because I like the courts, I lik its suitable to my game, and to my personality.”

Federer could face another familiar opponent in the third round: 2001 U.S. Open and 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt. Federer beat Hewitt in the 2004 U.S. Open final, part of a which ended when Hewitt beat him in the final of a grass-court tournament at Halle, Germany, in June.

“I know my way around New York so well. The center court is so familiar,” Federer said. “The fans have always been so great. Theyve always been behind me, and thats always so key, and I hope its going to be, again, the same this year.”

He lost in the 2 previously withdrew from this years tournament, having not recovered fully from surgery. Del Potros wrist was hurt; Williams cut her foot shortly after winning Wimbledon, although she hasnt explained exactly what happened.

“It would be great to have Serena compete,” Clijsters said, “but thats sports, and thats life.”

Williams older sister Venus, who is seeded No. 3, could face an intriguing matchup in the third round against No. 32-seeded Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. Pironkova has won two of her previous three matches against Venus Williams, including a straight-set upset in the Wimbledon quarterfinals June 29.

That was the last match Williams played on tour; she sprained her left kneecap in early August, forcing her to withdraw from hard-court tournaments at Cincinnati and Montreal.

The U.S. Open begins Monday, and Williams will have gone more than two months without a match by the time she meets her first-round opponent, Roberta Vinci of Italy, who is 1-7 for her career at Flushing Meadows.

Posted on August 28th, 2010 by admin
Filed under: Tennis news