Williams, Murray and Federer in quarterfinals

Andy Murray produced a masterclass in tennis to destroy the highly rated Milos Raonic on Monday and book his place in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open.

The Olympic champion provided more evidence he could be ready to add a first grand slam title to the gold medal he won in London last month when he blunted one of the biggest serves in the game to win 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Big-hitting Canadian Raonic belted 14 aces, reaching 140 miles per hour on his first serves and landing 70 percent of them, but could only shake his head at Murray’s level of play.

“He was just too good, unfortunately, because I was playing well. Too good,” Raonic said.

“It’s the last major event of the season so I want to make sure I leave everything out there on the court,” Murray said. “Today was by far my best match of the tournament.”

Serena Williams was just as ruthless as she charged into the women’s quarters with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Czech Andrea Hlavackova while Roger Federer was gifted a spot in the last eight when Mardy Fish withdrew from the year’s final grand slam.

Showing no mercy against her 82nd ranked opponent, Williams sent an ominous warning of her intention to add the U.S. Open title to her recent wins at Wimbledon and the London Olympics with a rare “double bagel” victory in 57 minutes.

“Andrea played really well today even though it was love and love,” Williams said in a courtside interview. “I think I played really well today. I haven’t played like that all tournament.”

Williams won the last of her three U.S. Open titles in 2008 but on the evidence of her performances so far, a fourth title at Flushing Meadows appears well within her reach although her toughest challenges await.

The American’s next opponent is Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, a former world number one who has rediscovered her best after a lean few years where she struggled with injuries.

Ivanovic advanced on Monday with an impressive 6-0, 6-4 victory over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova but said she would have to raise her game even higher to compete with Williams.

Federer advanced to his 34th consecutive grand slam quarterfinal without hitting a ball on the Labor Day holiday in the United States as Fish pulled out with an undisclosed health issue.

World number one Federer has not dropped a set in this year’s U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows. The 31-year-old Swiss will now play Tomas Berdych after the Czech sixth seed thrashed Spain’s Nicolas Almagro 7-6 6-4 6-1.

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, the women’s second seed, became the highest ranked casualty of the tournament when she lost to Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-4.

Reuters