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NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal swept into the last 16 at the US Open on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over Gilles Simon of France as Spanish players dominated the day in the top half of the draw.
The number one seed will play Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez for a place in the quarter-finals. Lopez won through when opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine abandoned when losing 6-3, 4-0.
Seeking to complete a career Grand Slam in New York as the youngest player ever to do so, Nadal scored straight-sets wins in his first two ties but was made to work hard for them.
Simon, back to near his best after a year of problems with a knee injury, looked to a previous win over Nadal, on the Spaniard's home turf in Madrid in 2008.
Nadal opened strongly, breaking in the third game on the way to stacking up a 3-1 lead and that was all he needed as he took the opener 6-4 in 47 minutes.
Simon held his own against the eight-time Grand Slam winner until 3-3 in the second set, but the weight of Nadal's huge forehands gradually took its toll on him and he conceded serve in the seventh game.
Again, that was all the margin needed by the Spaniard as he served out twice to take a two sets to love lead.
Nadal was now firing on all cylinders and a break of serve in the opening game of the third set doomed any realistic hopes Simon may have harboured of making an unlikely comeback.
"It was important not to lose without dropping a set. Every day I seem to play much better, which is good for my confidence," the Spaniard said.
In earlier play, Spanish eight seed Verdasco blasted past Argentina's David Nalbandian 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, while Spanish 10th seed Ferrer ousted compatriot Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2.
Those two will meet in the other semi-final in the first quarter of the draw, ensuring at least one Spanish player in the semi-finals.
Verdasco. a quarter-finalist here last year, said he had been pushed to the limit against a fit-again Nalbandian early on in their tie.
"It was four games and 40 minutes in the first set, but I was feeling good physically all the time and I knew I had to be tough to beat a guy like Nalbandian at this moment," he said.
Sam Querrey, meanwhile, boosted US hopes by mastering another Spaniard, 14th seed Nicolas Almagro, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
"Hopefully we got someone who can win a Grand Slam - John and Mardy (Fish) and myself - we got a chance," he said of the possibility of a first US winner in New York since Andy Roddick in 2003.
"I feel like I am playing the best I've played all summer."
The American, at 22 the youngest man left in the tournament, was untouchable on his own serve and, more surprisingly, he more than matched claycourt specialist Almagro in the extended exchanges.
Isner, the tallest player in the men's draw at 6 feet 9 inches (2.05metres), was scheduled for the night session on the Arthur Ashe Centre Court against tough Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
British fourth seed Andy Murray was also in action Sunday with a match against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, whom he defeated in straight sets two years ago en route to the final.
Third round results:
David Ferrer (ESP) bt Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-3, 4-0 retire
Sam Querrey (USA) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Rafael Nadal (ESP) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Tommy Robredo (ESP) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 2-1 retire
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt Andy Murray (GBR) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3
- AFP/de
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