Olympic champion Andy Murray advanced to the fourth round of the US Open on Saturday with a 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over 30th-seeded Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez.
Top seed Roger Federer cruised into the last 16 and admitted he always knew he would return to the world number one spot despite a shattering 2011 semi-final defeat in New York.
British third seed Murray will next face the winner of a later match between American James Blake and 15th-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic.
Murray, four times a grand slam runner-up but still seeking his first major title, had lost only one set in six prior matches against Lopez but battled in heat and humidity to avoid being ousted, trailing in all three tie-breakers.
“It was a very tough match,” Murray said. “Three tie-breakers, could have gone either way. He was up in all three of them. It was hot and humid. We played some good tennis, especially toward the ends of sets.”
Federer, the five-time champion bidding to be the first six-time winner in 87 years, defeated Spanish 25th seed Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-4 6-4 to make the fourth round for the 12th successive year.
He next faces either American 23rd seed Mardy Fish or Gilles Simon, the French 16th seed.
Federer suffered a heart-breaking defeat in the semi-finals 12 months ago when he squandered a two-sets to love lead and two match points to lose to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
But a seventh Wimbledon title, to take him to 17 grand slam trophies, put him back on top of the rankings for the first time since early 2010.
“Don’t feel too sorry for me. I made the semi-finals last year and I was thinking about that match today,” said the Swiss, who has already captured six titles in 2012 as well as taking the Olympic Games silver medal.
“I always believed I would get back to number one in the world and now that I am, it’s amazing,” Federer said. “It has been a great year.”
Murray’s 250th career match victory on hardcourts, what he says is his favorite surface, came after three hours and 53 minutes when Murray won the final four points, the last of them on a netted Lopez backhand.
With coach Ivan Lendl watching in stoic fashion, Murray won his 10th match in a row over a southpaw, having not lost to a lefty since Rafael Nadal beat him in last year’s US Open semi-finals.
Murray took the first set but nearly faced a set point in the 10th game of the second set. Lopez raised his arm to ask for a replay-system review of a line call that would have, if successful, given him a crucial break chance.
But umpire Jake Garner denied the request, saying it had come too late even though it clearly had not, saying he had watched Lopez but seen no signal after his shot had been called out.
“You didn’t watch me at all. You didn’t see,” Lopez fumed. “It was so clear. I challenged immediately. It’s a very important point. You will see on TV.”
