New York: Big-serving Swede Robin Soderling survived the gusting winds at Flushing Meadows on Saturday to beat Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 for a place in the fourth round, while Jelena Jankovic's US Open hopes were blown away.
The fifth seed, runner-up at the last two French Opens, was too consistent for world number 48 de Bakker as he wrapped up victory in 1 hour 42 minutes.
Soderling broke in the second game of the match on his way to the first set and never looked back despite the difficult conditions.
The Swede will now play 21st seed Albert Montanes of Spain, who advanced when Japan's Kei Nishikori pulled out early in the second set of their match because of a groin injury.
Fourth seeded Jelena Jankovic was beaten 6-2, 7-6 by Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in the third round.
Jankovic was unable to control her serve and groundstrokes in the gusting winds on centre court, as Kanepi held her game together to reach the last 16 in New York for the first time.
Kanepi has been one of the biggest improvers on the women's professional tour this year, rising more than 100 places in the rankings since May.
She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open and Wimbledon and won her first WTA event at Palermo shortly after.
After dominating the first set, Kanepi opened the door for Jankovic to make a comeback when she failed to serve out the match. Jankovic then had the chance to force the match into a deciding third set but the former world number one's own serve let her down and Kanepi wrapped it up in the tiebreak.
She now plays either Belgian 15th seed Yanina Wickmayer or Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.
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