Andy Murray stormed into the second week of the US Open after a much more routine victory over Thomasz Bellucci than he had endured over Adrian Mannarino on Thursday night. The Brit will be joined in the fourth round by Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer who also coasted to victory. Meanwhile Johanna Konta's dream run in the US Open continued as she upset Andrea Petkovic in straight sets to reach the second week of a major for the first time.
Dazzling Murray sprints to the second week
Having endured the highs and lows of a five set thriller over Mannarino, when the third seed came back from two sets to love down, Andy Murray needed a straightforward win at a time when his rivals had been barely tested.
Against Thomasz Bellucci of Brazil, the thirtieth seed who had defeated James Ward in round one, he got just that as he raced into the fourth round having only been broken once in the whole match.
Having dropped a set in every match he had played so far, the straightforwardness of his win will be most pleasing for the Scot who faces the big serving Kevin Anderson in the fourth round, a man he has only ever lost to once in six occassions.
For a more in depth look at the ins and outs of his match over Bellucci, check out our LIVE play-by-play commentary from the match.
After his 6-3 6-2 7-5 win, Murray commented that 'My last match was extremely tough physically and mentally. It was a lot cooler today, which helps, and to get the win in three sets.' And looked ahead to his match against Anderson. 'I get a day to recover now and get ready for the next one.'
Kevin Anderson defeated rising star Dominic Theim in straight sets to win through to his first second week at the US Open and his eighth overall and having also reached the fourth round at this year's Australian Open and at Wimbledon - where he lost to Novak Djokovic, he will be hoping he can finally break his fourth round duck.
Federer and Wawrinka yet to be tested
Elsewhere in last night's play, Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer continued to make light work of cannon fodder with the two securing yet more straight set victories. Wawrinka defeated Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium whilst Federer continued his head-to-head dominance over Philipp Kohlschreiber as he secured his tenth straight victory over the german.
However, there was one slight dampner on the occassion for Federer, who was finally broken for the first time at this year's US Open. But in the gran scheme of things, it didn't really matter, with Federer coasting through 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Wawrinka, meanwhile, did require a tie break during his match over Bemelmans as the Belgian continued to play above himself in what has been a dream run. Bemelmans, who benefitted from Jack Sock's retirement in the second round, mixed things up on court to frustrate Wawrinka, whose inconsistency continues to hinder him. However, after surviving the second set scare, the Swiss eventually sailed through as he won 6-3 7-6(5) 6-4.
The two stars will also be joined by a host of seeded players who lived up to their billing, with Richard Gasquet, John Isner and Tomas Berdych all securing their place in the second week.
Johanna Konta downs another seed
Before the tournament had started, not many would have chosen
Johanna Konta as their surprise package of the tournament. Depsite being on an eight match winning streak, many wouldn't have expected the Brit to win beyond round two, especially when she stepped on court to face the Wimbledon runner up, Garbine Muguruza.
But she did win that match and yesterday she won another to shock the tennis elite, as she defeated Andrea Petkovic of Germany in straight sets in an enthralling match lasting just shy of two hours.
She has certainly come a long way from the Johanna Konta who was defeated in straight sets by Olga Govortsova in the Fed Cup back in February.
As she moves into the fourth round of a grand slam for the very first time, Petra Kvitova is now all that stands before her and a chance of equaling the best ever run by a qualifier at the US Open since Barbara Gerken back in 1971.
Playing calmly and smoothly, against a typically erratic Petkovic, Konta produced the goods when it mattered, as she defeated her opponent 7-6 (2) 6-3 and now will have the nation behind her as she faces the twice grand slam champion on Monday.
Kvitova, who trounced the talented Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2 6-1 to secure her third US Open fourth round appearance, will prove a stern test for the confident Konta.
And Kvitova wasn't the only seeded player who won through to the fourth round, as Simona Halep breezed past Shelby Rogers in straight sets and Sabine Lisicki recovered from 1-5 down in the third set to defeat Barbora Strycova to record her best grand slam performance of the year.
But the best match of the fourth round ties was perhaps the thrilling battle between Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber with Azarenka prevailing in three sets and almost three hours.