Mikhail Youzhny slows down Spain’s reign, beats Tommy Robredo in fourth round of US Open

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Youzhny slows Spain’s US Open reign, beats Robredo

NEW YORK — Mikhail Youzhny briefly slowed Spain’s march through the U.S. Open bracket.

The 12th-seeded Russian beat Tommy Robredo, the lowest-ranked man left in the draw, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals. The 41st-ranked Robredo was one of a record six Spanish men to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

Two will make the quarters: No. 1 Rafael Nadal faces 23rd-seeded Feliciano Lopez and eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco takes on No. 10 David Ferrer in a pair of all-Spanish matchups later Tuesday.

“They have a lot of courts. They have a lot of good facilities to practice well,” Youzhny said. “I think it’s not really expensive to practice in Spain for Spanish people. In Russia now it’s much expensive to practice in Moscow. Not everybody can do this one.”

The sixth Spaniard in the fourth round, Albert Montanes, lost Monday to fifth-seeded Robin Soderling, who moves on to challenge a familiar foe. The Swede will play five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer — Soderling beat Federer at this year’s French Open to end the Swiss star’s string of 23 straight Grand Slam semifinal appearances.

In the quarterfinal opposite Federer-Soderling, No. 3 Novak Djokovic faces No. 17 Gael Monfils. Djokovic dispatched No. 19 Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 to leave only one American man in the draw, No. 20 Sam Querrey.

Querrey was playing No. 25 Stanislas Wawrinka on Tuesday in a quarter of the draw that doesn’t have a top-10 seed left.

“I think the world of Sam’s game,” Fish said. “I really think he’s got a lot of upside. If he were a stock, I’d buy big time.”

The women’s quarterfinals open Tuesday with two appealing matchups: No. 2 Kim Clijsters, the defending champion, against No. 5 Sam Stosur, and No. 3 Venus Williams against No. 6 Francesca Schiavone.

The other half of the women’s draw doesn’t look as strong.

In the featured women’s match Monday, No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki defeated No. 14 Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. Next, Wozniacki plays unseeded Dominika Cibulkova, who defeated No. 11 Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 7-6 (4). The bottom half of that side of the bracket pits No. 31 Kaia Kanepi against No. 7 Vera Zvonareva.

AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report.