New York:
Fernando Verdasco of Spain reached the quarter-finals of the US Open on Tuesday by defeating 10th-seeded compatriot David Ferrer 5-7, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
The eighth seed will play the winner of the remaining fourth-round tie opposing two other Spaniards, top seed Rafael Nadal and 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez.
Two of the toughest players to beat on the circuit, Verdasco and Ferrer had met 10 times previously with Verdasco leading the series 6-4, although Ferrer won their prior meeting on clay in Rome.
Ferrer, who reached the US Open semi-finals in 2007 beating Rafael Nadal on the way, held the early advantage and went two sets ahead after a second set tie-break.
But Verdasco, a quarter-finalist here last year, hit back to win sets three and four.
The deciding set swung one way and then the next before it came down to another tie-break.
Ferrer jumped out into a 4-1 lead, but Verdasco reeled off six points in a row, clinching the win by running down an impreccable Ferrer drop-shot to curl a forehand just inside the side-line.
The match lasted four hours and 23 minutes with Verdasco hitting 73 winners to 38 for Ferrer.
The eighth seed will play the winner of the remaining fourth-round tie opposing two other Spaniards, top seed Rafael Nadal and 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez.
Two of the toughest players to beat on the circuit, Verdasco and Ferrer had met 10 times previously with Verdasco leading the series 6-4, although Ferrer won their prior meeting on clay in Rome.
Ferrer, who reached the US Open semi-finals in 2007 beating Rafael Nadal on the way, held the early advantage and went two sets ahead after a second set tie-break.
But Verdasco, a quarter-finalist here last year, hit back to win sets three and four.
The deciding set swung one way and then the next before it came down to another tie-break.
Ferrer jumped out into a 4-1 lead, but Verdasco reeled off six points in a row, clinching the win by running down an impreccable Ferrer drop-shot to curl a forehand just inside the side-line.
The match lasted four hours and 23 minutes with Verdasco hitting 73 winners to 38 for Ferrer.
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