The last time Roger Federer met Radek Stepanek, it was on clay in Rome, a match Stepanek won in two tiebreak sets.
This time, with the stakes higher in the year’s final Grand Slam, it was different result.
Federer, the No. 2 seed, served well, returned well and hit key shots as he downed No. 28 Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium for his 30th straight US Open win and put him into the fourth round.
It started with Federer’s serve, which was great on Sunday, as he converted 72 percent of his first serves for the match, hit 12 aces and was broken only once – in the first set. He won 75 percent of those first serves as well as 67 percent of his second serves.
The Swiss felt good heading in and won the match in under two hours.
“I did feel good today. The conditions were pretty similar (to my) last round match, so maybe that helped, having a little breeze out there and playing exact same conditions,” he said. “I think I returned well, especially in the second serve. I didn't allow him to really have that many different options off his second serve, and he decided to stay back.”
Federer did return Stepanek’s second serve well as the Czech won just 31 percent of his second serves.
Federer will face either Fernando Verdasco or Igor Andreev in the fourth round as he attempts to win his fifth straight US Open title.
“I was good off the baseline. I think I moved well today and really hit some great shots when I needed them,” he added of his performance Sunday. “I think all in all I'm really happy. I'm serving well for the first three rounds, and that's always a good sign for the rest of the tournament.”
