Tennis:Novak Djokovic showed why he is the hot favourite to win the US Open title with a rock-solid performance to beat wily Nikolay Davydenko 6-3 6-4 6-2 in the third round of the US Open.
It was the sort of match that could have tripped up the pre-2011 Djokovic but, although it was not easy for the world number one, he never looked in any danger on Saturday night.
On his next opponent Alexandr Dolgopolov, he said: "He's an up-and-coming player, he hits the ball really well, really hard. He's quite similar to Davydenko in that respect. I need to be focused from the first point."
Dolgopolov, the 22nd seed and a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open this year, recovered from a set down to knock out giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 6-4, breaking the big man's serve an impressive six times.
Meanwhile, Roger Federeraimed some thinly-veiled criticism at his fellow players for the record number of retirements at the tournament this year.
Tomas Berdychand Marcel Granollersboth pulled out on Saturday to take the total number of mid-match retirements to 14, two more than the previous Open era grand slam record, at Wimbledon in 2008, with more than a week of the tournament still to go.
Federer, who beat a resurgent Marin Cilic6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2 in the third round, said: "I'd say 50 per cent of them are unlucky because they're not feeling well or getting injured or carrying an injury.
"It comes out in best-of-five-set tennis. You can't hide it, in my opinion. Could some guys finish the matches? I'm sure, but they didn't decide to.
"For me it is shocking to see so many retirements. I have never retired in my whole life, except once when I played against (James) Blake in Paris, but I didn't even walk on to the court.
"For me, it doesn't matter how bad I'm feeling, I will be out there and giving it a try, because you never know what's going to happen. Every player feels different. It's unfortunate it happens for the fans, I guess."
As well as the 14 retirements, there have also been two players who pulled out before the start and two more opting not to begin their matches, including Venus Williams.
While Federer chose to focus on the responsibility of players, Andy Murray believes it is a result of the length of the tennis season and the lack of rest.
He said on Twitter: "is the 18th pull out in the us open telling the tennis authorities anything?? No?? Thought not...."
Ninth seed Berdych became the 17th singles player to pull out of this year's US Open during his third-round match against Janko Tipsarevic.
The Czech had been struggling with a right shoulder problem since the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati two weeks ago and, although he survived matches against Romain Jouan and Fabio Fognini, this proved a step too far.
Tipsarevic, the 20th seed, had taken the first set 6-4 when Berdych took a medical time-out to receive treatment. He carried on but lost the next five games before opting to call it a day.
Berdych said: "I felt it already in the match with Fognini but I was able to finish it. I didn't even go to hit yesterday. I wanted to just have treatment on it, relax and not do anything and hope that it was going to be better, but it's not."
Serb Tipsarevic, who has now beaten Berdych in all their four meetings, will play in the fourth round of a grand slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2008.
He felt he handled the situation well, saying: "I'm happy that I won the first set because I feel that had nothing to do with an injury, but I'm happy that I executed the next five games in the second set."
No sooner had Berdych retired than 31st seed Granollers also quit, succumbing to what appeared to be a back problem while trailing fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero6-1 4-3.
Eighth seed Mardy Fish didnot have things all his own way against 6ft 8in South African Kevin Andersonbut he kept his nerve when it counted to win 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3).
The 29-year-old now faces a very tricky test against 11th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who has been in superb form and won a big-hitting contest with Spain's Fernando Verdasco6-3 7-5 6-4 on Saturday night.
Federer, meanwhile, will meet Argentina's Juan Monacoafter he ended the run of veteran Tommy Haas, beating the 33-year-old German 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-2 6-3.