David Ferrer too good for Richard Gasquet a the US Open

Fourth seed David Ferrer continued his smooth progress through the draw with a straight-sets victory over Richard Gasquet to reach the US Open quarter-finals for the second time.

The Spaniard had dropped only one set on his way to the fourth round and had too much consistency and quality for Gasquet, winning 7-5 7-6 (7/2) 6-4.

Gasquet probably should have taken the second set as he served for it and then had three set points on the Ferrer serve but the fourth seed saved them all and did not allow his concentration to waver during two lengthy rain delays.

Ferrer's best performance in New York came five years ago when he reached the semi-finals before losing to Novak Djokovic, and the pair are on course to meet in the last four again.

Ferrer is having a brilliant season and has now made the last eight at all four grand slams, with his best performance coming at the French Open, where he reached the semi-finals.

The Spaniard said: "I'm very happy for that. This season was the best of all my career. I'm playing consistent all year."

Ferrer has been elevated into the top four because of the absence through injury of his countryman Rafael Nadal but, despite his success, he has been very much overshadowed by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Not that he is bothered, the 30-year-old saying: "For me that's normal. Djokovic and Murray and Federer - they deserve the attention because they are amazing players. So it's not a problem for me. I'm trying do my best. I don't care."

Ferrer completed his victory just in time before the rain came again, delaying the other fourth-round matches involving Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic and Andy Roddick.

Roddick was once again trying to keep his career alive after announcing last week that this tournament would be his last, and he had his work cut out against seventh seed Juan Martin Del Potro.

The American has been a man on a mission ever since his announcement and he began in superb form in front of his beloved night-session crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium, breaking the Del Potro serve in the sixth game.

But Roddick could not serve it out and the pair had just begun the first-set tie-break when play was called off.

Djokovic had managed only two games of his match against Stanislas Wawrinka on Louis Armstrong Stadium, winning both of them, while eighth seed Tipsarevic led Philipp Kohlschreiber 5-2.

And, with the rain still falling at 2130 local time, play was called off the day.

PA