Top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic rolled into the US Open fourth round while Serena Williams and Roger Federer cruised into the last 16 and Kei Nishikori was eliminated. Djokovic, champion in four of the past five Slams and 16 overall, was less bothered by left shoulder pain that nagged him in the second round in defeating 111th-ranked American Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 on Friday.
Federer routed Britain's 58th-ranked Dan Evans 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in only 80 minutes, blasting 48 winners to just seven for Evans. Serena Williams continued her quest for a 24th career Grand Slam title to equal Margaret Court's all-time record by crushing 44th-ranked Czech Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-2 in 74 minutes. Reigning French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, the Aussie second seed, and Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova, chasing her first Slam title, also advanced.
Pliskova, the 2016 US Open runner-up, outlasted Tunisia's Ons Jabeur 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 while Barty dispatched Greek 30th seed Maria Sakkari 7-5, 6-3. Also advancing was Ukrainian fifth seed and Wimbledon semi-finalist Elina Svitolina, who next faces US 10th seed Madison Keys, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over compatriot Sofia Kenin.
