Roger Federer and Andy Murray coasted into the US Open fourth round on Saturday as Stan Wawrinka joined the procession of seeds into the second week of the season-ending grand slam.
Five-time champion and world No.2 Federer claimed a 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber, his 10th win in 10 meetings against the 29th-ranked German.
Murray, seeded three and the New York champion in 2012, brushed aside Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-3 6-2 7-5 for his 40th career win at the US Open.
Federer, 34, hoping to become the oldest champion since Ken Rosewall in 1970, will next face US 13th seed John Isner, who progressed after Czech opponent Jiri Vesely retired with a neck injury after dropping the first two sets.
Federer has now reached the fourth round in New York for the 15th year as he looks to return to the final for the first time since 2009.
“I won the big points today, I served well when I had to, even though it was up and down for both of us,” said Federer, who will take a 4-1 career lead over Isner into their fourth-round clash.
Murray had needed to rally from two sets down to see off France’s Adrian Mannarino in the second round.
But despite falling a break down in the first set on Saturday, he eventually breezed to victory over the 30th-ranked, left-handed Bellucci.
Murray, who has advanced to the quarter-finals or better at his last 18 Grand Slams, next faces South Africa’s 15th seed Kevin Anderson.
The big South African, boosted by a title on the hard courts of Winston Salem last weekend, made the last 16 with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3) win over Austria’s Dominic Thiem.
“It was much slower conditions today which made it tough to serve but easier to return so there were a lot of long rallies,” said Murray.
“He got the early break but I got it back straightaway, used my variety and made it tough for him.”
Fifth seed Wawrinka, the French Open champion, made the last 16 with a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win over Belgian world No.107 Rubens Bemmelmans.
Wawrinka goes on to face unseeded American Donald Young, who pulled off his second comeback from two sets to love down to beat Serbian 22nd seed Viktor Troicki 4-6 0-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 6-4.
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2012, reached the last 16 for a fourth successive year by beating Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-7 (7-2) 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 6-3.
He next plays 12th seed Richard Gasquet, one of four Frenchmen in the last 16, who defeated Australia’s Bernard Tomic 6-4 6-3 6-1.
