Injured Nadal progresses

Number two Nadal eliminated unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 7-6 (3) 6-2 6-1 to clear the draw of all 15 Frenchmen who began the week.

Ferrer - the number 15 seed - needed five sets and nearly four hours to dispose of 24th-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina. By virtue of the 6-3 3-6 4-6 7-6 (5) 7-5 victory, Ferrer will make his first ever appearance in the US Open Round of 16 against Nadal.

"I don't want to think about Nadal now because I'm tired. If I think about him I'll be more tired," joked Ferrer after the exhausting win.

Moya got past dogged German Philipp Kohlschreiber in a late matinee on the Grandstand court courtesy of a 4-6 7-5 7-6 (5) 4-6 6-4 win.

With 21 aces and 79 winners, the number 17 seed will meet Ernests Gulbis, who eliminated Tommy Robredo 6-1 6-3 6-2. Robredo managed just nine winners, as opposed to Gulbis' 39. He also failed to break serve, whiffing on three chances while Gulbis broke six times.

With his back to the wall against Nalbandian, Ferrer managed to force a deciding final set by enduring the fourth set's remarkably long and pivotal eighth game. Ferrer eventually converted his sixth break-point opportunity after the game went to deuce on nine occasions.

In the distance for Nadal is number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who got past unseeded Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro 6-1 6-3 6-4.

After outlasting Czech Radek Stepanek in a memorable second round five-setter, Djokovic, in his first night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, had an easy time of it against Del Potro, going a perfect 6-for-6 on break points and compiling 31 winners. His serve was broken just once -- at 5-3 of the third set -- but he broke back to advance.

Djokovic moves on to face number 23 Juan Monaco. The Argentinian became the second of his countrymen to advance to the fourth round when he defeated Agustin Calleri 7-6 (5) 6-2 6-4.