Federer stops late Soderling surge (Roundup)

NEW YORK - Roger Federer moved closer to a sixth-straight title at the US Open by posting his 12th victory without a loss over Sweden’s Robin Soderling.

The Swiss top seed produced a 6-0, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (8-6) quarter-final victory Wednesday in gusty evening conditions. Soderling won his second career set against Federer in 30 played.

It was the third time this season that Federer beat Soderling at a Grand Slam tournament. Federer won the French Open at the number 12 player’s expense and also beat him at Wimbledon. Soderling is one of four players whom the world number one has beaten at least 10 times.

Federer had to fight hard in the last two sets. He finished with 28 aces and four breaks of the Swede.

“I got off a flyer, and I’m happy I got through in four sets,” Federer said. “It was a bit too easy at the start, but it’s a huge relief to come through.”

Federer has now won 39-straight matches in New York dating to the 2003 fourth round against David Nalbandian, and the win marked Federer’s 124th in a row over players ranked outside the top five.

He is to play in his 22nd Grand Slam semi-final in succession in what is to be a rerun of the 2007 final when he faces Serb Novak Djokovic, who reached his third-straight Flushing Meadows semi-final by beating injured Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7-2), 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

The 10th-seeded Spaniard was treated on court several times for abdominal muscle problems.

“Mentally, (it) was very important for me to overcome today’s challenge and to be able to reach the semi-finals for the first time in the Grand Slams in 2009,” fourth seed Djokovic said. “I feel kind of a relief.

“I hope I just can continue playing well and challenge Federer.”

Djokovic had a lapse in the second set after squeezing through an opener lasting the better part of an hour.

But once the Serb took control, there was little that January’s Australian Open semi-finalist Verdasco could do to reverse the damage.

Djokovic produced 10 aces and broke two of his opponent’s last three serves to go through with a fighting effort. Djokovic improved to 20-4 at the venue while Verdasco stands 16-7.

On the women’s side, Yanina Wickmayer set up an all-teenage semi-final at the top of the draw as she defeated Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 6-4 in their quarter-final.

She is to face a big test against 19-year-old Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who ended the Cinderella run of fellow teen Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-2.

“It was really a tough match for me against Melanie,” the winner said. “She’s had such a great run, such an amazing tournament.

“I knew how I was going to feel to be out there with the crowd, but I just used the energy and tried to convert it into some good tennis.”

Both teens were playing in a major quarter-final for the first time. Wozniacki is the first Scandinavian woman to reach the last four in New York. She has won 61 matches this season.

“Believing was my key thing going into these matches and knowing that I could compete with these women and beat them,” said Oudin, who knocked out three Russian opponents in succession and spent more than nine hours on court heading into the quarters.

Wickmayer achieved her unexpected placing in only her second main draw appearance at Flushing Meadows and was poised for another possible breakthrough.

“Everything was getting together,” she said. “I’ve been feeling really strong, and mentally, I’ve been always trying to stay calm and stay aggressive at the same time. That’s one of the keys for me.”