Victorious HEAD players advance en masse into US Open second week

HEAD tennis aces populate the men's draw, with Novak Djokovic and two-time Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling both in title contention after reaching the fourth round of the US Open 2010. Djokovic flashed his YouTek Speed MP for victory while Soderling was superb with his YouTek Radical MP as both went through to the second week in straight sets. Third seeded Serb Djokovic defeated American James Blake 6-1, 7-6, 6-3; Soderling put out Dutchman and fellow HEAD racquet rebel Thiemo de Bakker 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. Djokovic now plays American Mardy Fish while Soderling tangles with Spaniard Albert Montanes.

"Physically I'm fit, I've been setting my form for this tournament," said Djokovic. "I've been focusing on this event. I want to perform my best and be ready 100 percent physically and mentally." Soderling has become a fan of the fast hard courts of New York: "This is a good surface for me, I’ve played well here in the past (2009 quarter-final). It's not too fast, not too slow. It's just good."

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka (YouTek Prestige MP) surprisingly won an all-HEAD clash between racquet rebels, defeating Andy Murray (YouTek Radical Pro) 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a comeback victory. Wawrinka was able to turn the tide in the combatative match after losing the first set, keeping Murray on the back foot as he carved out an upset.

HEAD's Richard Gasquet (YouTek Extreme Pro) made it to the fourth round over Kevin Anderson (YouTek Prestige MP) and is ready to face French compatriot Gael Monfils. Mikhail Youzhny wielded his YouTek Extreme Pro in a 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win over American John Isner.

In the ladies tournament HEAD racquet rebel heads into the second week looking for her 101st victory at a Grand Slam. The 13th-ranked Russian takes up the cause with her fourth-round match against Svetlana KuznetsovaSlovak Dominika Cibulkova after beating Maria Kirilenko in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Kuznetsova, playing with a YouTek Extreme MP, won the Open in 2004 and claimed a French Open trophy last season. She also played the final three years ago at Flushing Meadows against Justine Henin.