Monfils, Federer to collide in quarters

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It will be just the fifth time Monfils, 28, will play in the last eight of a grand slam, but he is in blistering form having downed Bulgarian seventh seed Dimitrov 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 7-5.

Monfils is yet to drop a set on his run in New York, and he is in the quarters for the second time after breaking through in 2010.

Seeded 20, Monfils' barnstorming run saw him defeat countryman Richard Gasquet before another upset win over the talented Dimitrov.

There was not much between the pair statistically, with Monfils out-serving Dimitrov in the ace department 14-11 but notably landing 66 per cent of his first serves compared to Dimitrov's 57.

Monfils and Federer will meet for the 10th time on tour, with the Swiss leading the head-to-head 7-2 - although they have split their past four meetings.

The Swiss second seed dismissed Roberto Bautista Agut in their night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, progressing 6-4 6-3 6-2.

Federer is into his 10th quarter-final at Flushing Meadows, back into the last eight after his streak of nine straight QF appearances was ended in 2013 when he exited in the fourth round.

Also set to face off in the quarter-finals are big-serving pair Marin Cilic and Tomas Berdych.

Cilic, the Croatian 14th seed, outlasted wily French 26th seed Gilles Simon 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 3-6 6-3 in four hours 13 minutes.

The result marks back-to-back QF appearances at majors for Cilic for the first time in his career, after his deep run at Wimbledon.

Cilic has also made it to the last eight in his past two runs in New York, after missing the major in 2013 due to an overhanging positive drugs test which eventually saw him handed a backdated ban.

The aggressor for the most part, Cilic struck 70 winners to Simon's 45 to power into a date with Czech sixth seed Berdych.

Berdych simply had too much power for Austrian rising star Dominic Thiem, posting a 6-1 6-2 6-4 triumph.

The former Wimbledon finalist was on song serving wise, producing 10 aces among 24 winners, while Thiem committed 35 unforced errors as he bowed out in one hour 28 minutes.

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