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 The tournament took a sharp twist Tuesday night
-- and early Wednesday -- when a pair of fan favorites at Flushing Meadows got chased.
First, it was Serena Williams. Top-seeded Justine Henin beat her for the third straight time in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, making it look easy at the end in a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory.
"I got to go back and study and figure out how to beat her. That's it. Bottom line," Williams said.
Next up for Henin might be Serena's sister. Venus Williams plays No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the quarters Wednesday night, and the winner gets Henin in the semis.
Henin will have a rooting interest: She's 1-7 against Venus, 7-0 against Jankovic.
"Every match is a final for me now," Henin said. "If I have to play Venus, it will be a good challenge for me to play both sisters in the same tournament."
A lot of tennis fans were looking forward to seeing Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer meet in a third straight Grand Slam final. Won't happen now
-- 15th-seeded David Ferrer upset the second-seeded Nadal 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 in a fourth-round match that ended at 1:50 a.m.
"Sure there is disappointment for me, but that is tennis," Nadal said.
The lower deck at Arthur Ashe Stadium was mostly filled when Nadal's shot sailed long at 1:50 a.m. It came close to the latest ending at the U.S. Open
-- back in 1993, Mats Wilander finished off Mikael Pernfors at 2:26 a.m.
And it capped a full, fun day that also saw a player lose a point when a spare tennis ball fell out of his pocket, another complain about the Jumbotrons and one of the wildest outfits in Open history.
Trying for his fourth straight Open title, Federer was to play No. 5 Andy Roddick on Wednesday night.
Earlier Tuesday, No. 3 Novak Djokovic reached the Open quarterfinals for the first time by beating No. 23 Juan Monaco 7-5, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-1.
After his win, Djokovic talked about the Nadal-Federer history.
"Tennis needs this rivalry," he said. "But on the other hand, the people are not paying attention to the other players. I'm one of those players in that smaller group behind which is trying to break that. Break it through and make this group of two a little bit bigger."
Monaco was serving in the third-set tiebreaker when a yellow ball he'd put away in case of a fault slipped out of his pocket. It was the second time in the match that happened, and he immediately stopped playing and yelped.
"I went nuts! I was cursing at me. I was yelling at my pants," Monaco said. "Right away I knew I lost that point. It's very weird."
At 20, Djokovic is the youngest player left in the men's draw. He'll next face the oldest man remaining, 31-year-old Carlos Moya.
The 17th-seeded Moya defeated Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-4, closing the match by winning a net duel with a backhand, cross-court volley.
"Still beating these young guys," Moya said. "I feel, like, 20 years old."
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In another match, No. 20 Juan Ignacio Chela beat Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-4. Wawrinka had been 8-0 in five-set matches in Slam competition, and saved his best shots for after points were played
-- he smashed two rackets.
Nadal's loss included a scene rarely seen: the always energetic Spaniard wincing and dropping to the court. That happened right in front of his family's box late in the match when he simply wore down.
Nadal came into the tournament with bad knees, and the left-hander needed ice for his racket hand late in the match.
"I prefer not to speak about my body right now," Nadal said, adding it wound sound like an excuse.
Nadal and Federer split the previous two Slams; Nadal beat him in the French Open, Federer broke back at Wimbledon.
"Tonight," Ferrer said, "all was perfect."
Well, almost.
Early in the match, Ferrer was bothered by the overhead video screens at both ends, which sometimes show live shots during play. He complained to the chair umpire, who had tournament referee Brian Earley come out to discuss it.
"It's unbelievable," Ferrer told Earley. "It's impossible to focus."
Earley said the screens would stay on, that was the policy.
"He said it was distracting him. This is his first time playing on this court, so you can understand it," Earley said. "But we're not turning it off."
Henin sent a sullen Williams out of the tournament. As Williams waited for a courtesy car at the player exit, her mom gave a quick hug.
"It's kind of like she had no energy. No get-up-and-go," said Williams' mother and coach, Oracene Price. "Tennis is a head game, sometimes. Your head tells you to do something, but you can't."
Also bowing out was Bethanie Mattek.
She came to the U.S. Open dressed in a revealing, metallic gold Wonder Woman ensemble and left wearing leopard-print shorts so skimpy that Earley needed to rule whether they were OK.
Mattek lost in singles last week and in the doubles quarterfinals Tuesday. Known for outlandish outfits, she made an eye-popping exit: leopard headband, low-cut leopard top and those leopard shorts.
"Taste aside, it's within the attire standards," Earley said. "Am I thrilled? Well..."
Mattek is ranked 123rd and realizes what she wears is what makes her special.
"There's a method to my madness," she said. "Even if they hate it, they'll come see me play again."
[Associated Press;
by Ben Walker]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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