Nadal tops quarterfinal field at U.S. Open

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Top seed Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open Tuesday by ousting fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Nadal had little trouble with the No. 23 seed, who made 41 unforced errors to Nadal's 14.

Another Spaniard, eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco, made it to the quarters Tuesday by rallying from a two-set deficit to stun fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 5-7, 6-7 (8-10), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

The match lasted nearly 4 1/2 hours and ended with Verdasco overcoming 89 forced errors and 11 double faults and returning a perfect drop shot by Ferrer to the left corner to seal the victory.

The quarterfinals begin Wednesday.

Sam Querrey, the last American standing in the men's singles bracket, fell to Stanislas Wawrinka in another 4 1/2-hour epic Tuesday.

The 25th-seeded Wawrinka outlasted Querrey 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. The Swiss, who beat No. 4 Andy Murray in the third round, broke Querrey's serve in the final game to move into the quarters.

Twelfth-seeded former semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny defeated Spaniard Tommy Robredo 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.