Five-time winner Roger Federer and defending champion Serena Williams breezed into the US Open third round on Thursday while Italian fourth seed Sara Errani became the biggest upset victim yet.
Swiss 17-time grand slam champion Federer, who swept the New York hardcourt crowns from 2004-2008, dispatched Argentina’s 48th-ranked Carlos Berlocq 6-3 6-2 6-1 in 95 minutes, firing six aces and 37 winners.
Federer, at his lowest US Open seeding since 2002 at seventh, advanced to a matchup with US 26th seed Sam Querrey or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.
Federer lost for the first time in 50 appearances in a grand slam second-round last month at Wimbledon, falling to 116th-rated Sergiy Stakhovsky.
“Just keep on winning. I don’t care how,” Federer said of his goals. “Right now, it’s about winning for me, trying to gain confidence and enjoy myself. I hope I can progress. We’ll see how it goes.”
Federer and Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal could meet for the first time at the US Open in this year’s quarter-finals.
“The biggest mistake I can do is focus on Rafa right now,” Federer said. “Clearly I would love a match with Rafa.”
Nadal, unbeaten on hardcourts this year and favourite to claim the crown, will make his bid for a place in the third round against Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva.
Spanish fourth seed David Ferrar and French eighth seed Richard Gasquet kept rolling toward a potential quarter-final matchup of their own.
Ferrer dispatched compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-2 while Gasquet ousted Stephane Robert 6-3 7-5 7-5.
World No.1 Williams, who would become the oldest US Open women’s champion at 31 if she repeats, advanced her quest for a 17th major title and fifth US Open crown by downing 77th-ranked Galina Voskoboeva 6-3 6-0.
Yaroslava Shvedova, like Voskoboeva a Russian-born Kazakh player, defeated Austrian Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-2 6-3 to become the next Williams foe.
Errani, a semi-finalist last year, was defeated by one of her best friends, and the 2012 French Open runner-up was in tears after falling to 83rd-ranked Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-1 in 71 minutes.
“It was difficult,” Errani said. “The worst thing was the ‘fight’. Normally it’s the best thing I do on the court and today it was not good. I don’t know why. I think it’s the pressure. Everything was very difficult for me.”
Pennetta next faces Russian 29th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open winner who beat China’s Peng Shuai 6-1 4-6 6-4.
In another upset, Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara advanced to the third round by defeating Romanian 19th seed Sorana Cirstea 7-5 6-1. Nara next faces Serbian ninth seed Jelena Jankovic, who beat Russian Alisa Kleybanova 6-3 6-2.
Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka advanced to the third round over Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3 6-1, the second seed setting up a showdown with French 26th seed Alize Cornet for a berth in the last 16.
“I’m glad I got the first set,” Azarenka said. “I was able to force the rhythm better in the second set.”