Spain’s Granollers, Suarez Navarro advance at U.S. Open

Spain’s Marcel Granollers advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Open, while countrywoman Carla Suarez Navarro made it into the quarterfinals in New York for the first time.

Granollers beat American Tim Smyczek 64, 46, 06, 63, 75 in the third round on Sunday.

Suarez Navarro, the No. 18 seed, became the first Spanish woman to make the quarters at the U.S. Open since 1998, when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario pulled off the feat, by upsetting Germany’s Angelique Kerber, the No. 8 seed, 46, 63, 76 (73).

“It’s a gift that tennis has given me, I could not get a better gift here. No one wants to be on the same side of the draw as Serena (Williams), but having the opportunity to be in the quarters and against Serena on a special day for me is something I think I’m going to enjoy,” Suarez Navarro said.

Serena Williams, the top seed, took out fellow American Sloane Stephens 64, 61.

The 27yearold Granollers, who is playing in his seventh U.S. Open, has had his best run ever in New York and joins countrymen Rafael Nadal, the No. 2 seed, David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo in the round of 16.

Nadal, Ferrer and Robredo will play Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic and Switzerland’s Roger Federer, respectively, on Monday.

Granollers, who is ranked 43rd in the world, will play Serbian world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who beat Portugal’s Joao Sousa 60, 62, 62, in the round of 16.

In other men’s action, Britain’s Andy Murray beat Germany’s Florian Mayer 76 (72), 62, 62, while 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia defeated Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy 63, 76 (75), 36, 61.

On the women’s side, Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova upset No. 3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 64, 64, while China’s Li Na defeated Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic 63, 60.