Nadal dominates as top seeds cruise

NEW YORK — The closer Rafael Nadal gets to a potential long-awaited U.S. Open matchup with Roger Federer, the better he is playing.

Nadal easily returned to the quarterfinals for the first time in four years by routing Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 on Monday.

Nadal turned in his most powerful performance yet on a dominant day for the No. 1 seeds and moved a victory away from the possible semifinal showdown with his longtime rival at the only major where they have never played.

Federer did his part when he extended his record to 12-0 over Philipp Kohlschreiber with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-5 win in their night matchup.

“Every victory, every set that you win is more confidence. That’s what I am doing,” Nadal said.

He never gave the Dolgopolov chance, breaking serve times in the 1-hour, match.

Nadal hadn’t reached the quarterfinals at Flushing unseeded a six 41minute Meadows since the last his two U.S. Open titles 2013.

He advanced to face 19year-old Russian Andrey Rublev, the youngest quarterfinalist since Andy Roddick had just turned 19 in 2001. Rublev upset No. 9 seed David Goffin 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and will be Nadal’s fifth straight unseeded opponent.

Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova overwhelmed American Jennifer Brady 6-1, 6-0 to advance and face No. 20 CoCo Vandeweghe, who beat Lucie Safarova 6-4, 7-6 (2) to become the third American into the women’s quarterfinals.

Juan Martin del Potro saved two match points and erased a two-set deficit to come all the way back to beat No. 6-seeded Dominic Thiem 1-6, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4 to reach the quarters.

Women’s No. 4 seed Elina Svitolina played the nightcap against No. 15 seed Madison Keys, who was trying to follow Americans Vandeweghe, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens into the quarters.

The winner of that match will play Kaia Kanepi, who beat Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-4. of in