Tennis: US Open Round-Up- Defending champion Roger Federer edged past Igor Andreev in a gruelling five-set encounter to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.
The Swiss ace, aiming to clinch a fifth straight crown at Flushing Meadows, never looked comfortable against the powerful Russian and was extremely relieved to come through 6-7 (5/7) 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 3-6 6-3 on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"He was dictating play," said Federer. "I don't remember that many (five-set matches).
"Being down a set and tie-break in the second set there is danger written all over that situation," he said. "You just hope that it's going to turn your way. It did. So I'm happy."
In the first set Andreev, seeded 23, unsettled the world number two by earning the first break of the match but it looked like his best chance had gone when a fired up Federer responded to force a tie-break.
However, the Russian's head didn't go down and a rattled Federer suddenly found himself a set down - the first he'd dropped in the tournament following three comprehensive victories.
The second set went with serve all the way to another tie-break but this time it was the US Open king who claimed the crucial points to level an absorbing match.
The players had already been on court for one hour and 47 minutes by this point but in the third set Federer stepped up a gear in a bid to kill his gritty opponent off.
In just under 30 minutes he seemed to take full control of the match having clinically converted his only break point of the set to move into a 2-1 lead.
Andreev, who had never previously ventured beyond the second round here, was far from finished and amazed the crowd by breaking Federer early in the fourth before holding all his service games to force a decider.
The defending champion was visibly shocked and needed to take a short break off court to gather his composure - and it worked a treat.
The 27-year-old stormed into a 3-0 lead and while leading 4-2 he had to save an incredible four break points before moving within a game of the quarter-final.
From there he eventually got the job done and next he'll face qualifier Gilles Muller, who caused a shock by knocking out Nikolay Davydenko 6-4 4-6 6-3 7-6 (12/10).
The last meeting between the two players ended with a dominant 6-4 6-0 6-3 victory for Davydenko but although Muller made 45 unforced errors - 23 more than his opponent - an impressive 20 aces helped to ensure the 25-year-old from Luxembourg's progression to the quarter-finals.
Novak Djokovic also survived a real scare to reach the quarter-finals by defeating Tommy Robredo in another five-set thriller.
The third seed from Serbia was made to fight all the way as the sprightly Spaniard looked to cause a shock but in the end he just about did enough to claim a 4-6 6-2 6-3 5-7 6-3 triumph.
The first set went with serve until the ninth game, when a double fault from the Australian Open champion handed Robredo his first break-point of the match. The Spaniard did not pass up the opportunity, and went on to hold serve to go a set up.
After a strangely subdued opening, Djokovic burst into life at the start of the second set and soon built a 3-0 lead.
His momentum was halted when he had to call on the trainer to get treatment, seemingly for a hip problem, but was soon able to resume and - after each player held serve twice - capitalised on a double fault by Robredo to break again and level the match at one set all.
With Djokovic now in full control, Robredo was now finding him unbreakable in the third set, failing to earn even one break point.
By contrast the Serbian carved out a couple of opportunities - one of which he took - to establish a 3-1 advantage and two more successful holds saw him move within one set of the quarter-finals.
The world number three got off to a perfect start in the next, breaking a now weary-looking Robredo in the opening game and the match looked as good as over.
But in the sixth game the 15th seed battled back to break and level it up at 3-3.
Robredo was back as a competitive force and he secured another break to take the match into a decider.
Djokovic was struggling with a stomach upset and had to leave the court briefly but when he returned he looked intent on getting the job done.
The 21-year-old seized the initiative and broke in the fifth and ninth games of the final set to secure a hard-fought victory in three hours and 44 minutes.
"The hip was a problem during the match but it was more exhaustion," Djokovic said afterwards. "The physio helped me a lot and it was a hot day. I don't think I would have felt that bad today if I didn't finish so late two nights ago."
Next up for Djokovic will be Andy Roddick.
Roddick proved way too good for his Chilean opponent, Fernando Gonzalez, during the night session and he sauntered to a 6-2 6-4 6-1 victory.
The home hope won 53 of 62 points on his serve and faced only one break point.
In the women's competition Elena Dementieva continued her dazzling form to clinch a place in the semi-finals at the expense of Patty Schnyder.
Fresh from her gold-medal winning performance at the Beijing Olympics, the fifth-seeded Russian breezed past the 15th seed from Switzerland 6-2 6-3 in just 76 minutes.
Schnyder held her first service game but was broken on her second and, when Dementieva broke again to establish a 4-1 advantage the first set was as good as over.
The second set looked to be following a similar pattern when the Moscow-born player secured an early break to go 3-1 up, but Schnyder battled back well and took advantage of her first break-point opportunity to level matters at 3-3.
However, Dementieva quickly snuffed out any hope her opponent had of getting back into the match by immediately breaking back and racing through the next two games to clinch victory.
Next up for the Russian will be second seed Jelena Jankovic, who secured her place in the semi-finals by defeating Sybille Bammer 6-1 6-4 during the evening session.
Bammer had upset 12th seed Marion Bartoli in the fourth round but there was to be no repeat against her Serbian opponent as Jankovic took one hour and 30 minutes to secure the victory.
Looking ahead to her clash with Dementieva, Jankovic said: "She's a tough player. She's very solid and she moves great.
"It will be a tough match, for sure, but I will try my best."
In the mixed doubles, Briton Jamie Murray will contest a second Grand Slam final after the Scot and American partner Liezel Huber beat Jill Craybas and Eric Butorac.
Murray and Huber had the upper hand in both sets as they claimed a 6-3 6-4 semi-final victory over Murray's former men's doubles partner Butorac and Craybas.
They will play fifth seeds Cara Black and Leander Paes in Thursday's final.