Free passage for Federer at US Open

World No.1 Roger Federer advanced to his 34th consecutive grand slam quarter-final without touching a racquet on Monday when American Mardy Fish withdrew from their US Open match for health reasons.

The 31-year-old Swiss star, seeking his 18th grand slam title and sixth US Open crown, moved through to a last-eight match-up against Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, who dispatched Spanish 11th seed Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-1.

“I probably need to have something more than 100 per cent,” said Berdych, who has lost 11 of 15 career meetings to top seed Federer.

The walkover stretched Federer’s record for consecutive quarter-final grand slam appearances in the Open era to 38, three shy of the record 41 achieved by American Jimmy Connors.

Federer, who won his 17th grand slam title in July at Wimbledon, has not dropped a set in the Flushing Meadows fortnight.

Fish missed two months of the season earlier this year because of a heart problem, being hospitalised after the Miami Masters event in March when his heart rate increased to three times its normal resting pace.

Fish, 30, then had a cardiac catheter ablation in Los Angeles on May 23 to address his heart condition.

Berdych, who took only two hours to reach his first US Open quarter-final, has won three of his past six meetings with Federer, including a US Open tune-up last year at Cincinnati and a 2010 Wimbledon quarter-final.

Berdych finally reached the last eight after 10 tries with his 200th career hardcourt triumph. He joined Petr Korda and Ivan Lendl as the only Czech men in the Open era to have reached the quarter-finals at all four grand slam events.

“I’m very happy that I can compete in all Grand Slams at least in quarter-finals. It helps my confidence,” Berdych said.

At last January’s Australian Open, Berdych was fuming at Almagro, accusing the Spaniard of hitting a ball at his face while he was at the net during a rally in a fourth-round match. The ball struck him in the arm.

Spectators booed Berdych for refusing to shake hands with the Spaniard after the match, but the Czech said Almagro’s apology was not enough to satisfy him.

Berdych dismissed the acrimonious incident this week as “nothing at all”, noting they have since split two ATP matches, although this was their first grand slam meeting since.

They clasped hands after Monday’s match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Almagro flashing a quick smile at his conqueror as they met at the net.

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