Federer, Davydenko survive five set scares at US Open

Four-time defending champion Roger Federer and 2007 runner-up Novak Djokovic survived five-set scares from stubborn fourth-round opponents Tuesday at the 20.6 million dollar US Open.

Federer, whose 12 Grand Slam titles are two shy of Pete Sampras’s all-time record, extended his US Open win streak to 31 matches by beating Russian Igor Andreev 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

An ailing Djokovic had to dig equally deep while playing through a sore right hip to defeat Spain’s Tommy Robredo 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

“Novak got a tough one too,” Federer said. “You always wish for three sets but honestly those five-setters are fun.”

Federer advanced to the quarter-finals where he will play Luxembourg qualifier Gilles Muller. Djokovic next faces the winner of a later match between American Andy Roddick and Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez.

Federer, trying to salvage a sub-par season for him after years of Slam domination, hadn’t dropped a set in his first three matches, but Andreev made him work for the victory.

It has been rare to see Federer in a five-set match at the US Open but this hasn’t been a normal season for the former world number one. Close matches makes life more interesting and gets the competitive juices flowing, he said.

“I don’t remember ever playing an entire five-set match on center court here. I played Agassi but that was over two days,” he said.

NEW YORK, Thursday AFP