Tennis:Juan Monaco discovered to his cost that Roger Federer does not like to be kept waiting as the five-time champion coasted into a record 30th consecutive grand slam quarter-final at the US Open.
Their match did not start until 11.50pm local time after the marathon encounter between Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova, but Federer took only 18 minutes to wrap up the first set and continued in the same vein to triumph 6-1 6-2 6-0.
Next Federer will face in-form Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who came back from two sets to one down to beat big American hope Mardy Fish 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 6-4 6-2 and reach his first US Open quarter-final.
Eighth seed Fish, the revelation of the season, had looked the favourite after dominating the third set but a break of serve in the ninth game of the fourth turned the match in Tsonga's favour.
The American received raucous backing from the crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium but, after treatment for a groin problem, he was unable to handle the raw power of Tsonga.
Tsonga has beaten Federer in their last two matches, including coming back from two sets to love down in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Top seed Novak Djokovic won an epic first-set tie-break en route to a straight-sets victory over Alexandr Dolgopolov. The world number one saved four set points before claiming a memorable breaker 16-14, clinching it at the sixth time of asking.
Losing the set after having so many chances took its toll on Dolgopolov and he was second best from then on as Djokovic pushed on for a 7-6 (16/14) 6-4 6-2 victory.
Wozniacki needed to produce a superb performance to defeat Kuznetsova in an epic showdown under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Wozniacki lost a first set she should have won but then fought back brilliantly from 4-1 down in the second set to prevail 6-7 (6/8) 7-5 6-1 and set up a last-eight clash with 10th seed Andrea Petkovic.
The Dane has received a lot of flak for her grand slam performances since becoming world number one almost a year ago but this victory - which took a shade over three hours - might just prove to be a watershed moment.
Earlier in the day German 10th seed Petkovic had proved too hot for Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro as she eased to a comfortable 6-1 6-4 victory.
Title favourite Serena Williams enjoyed a more routine win over Ana Ivanovic. Williams, now odds-on for a fourth Flushing Meadows crown of her career, continued her march through the draw with a 6-3 6-4 victory in New York.
She will now face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in the semi-finals.