US Open: Majestic Federer serves up a treat

New York - Australia's Alex de Minaur knocked out 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in Friday's third round

After slow starts in his first two US Open matches, Roger Federer took his game up a notch on Friday with a stress-free 6-2 6-2 6-1 win over Briton Daniel Evans to reach the round of 16 in New York.
The Swiss great was brimming with confidence from the start, taking advantage of the speedy hardcourts under the open roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a warm and sunny day.
Federer, who is seeking his sixth US Open title, rifled 48 winners and 10 aces to see off the overmatched Evans, who is now 0-3 lifetime against the 38-year-old. Federer has had limited court time since his epic defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Wimbledon final in July but appeared to shake off any remaining rust with the win.
"I really enjoyed myself today. Beautiful sky and you guys out here also helped," he said in an on-court interview in front of an adoring crowd.
Meanwhile, Australia's Alex de Minaur knocked out 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in Friday's third round to collect his first victory over a top-10 player.
The 20-year-old Aussie, ranked 38th, advanced with a 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win in just under three hours. De Minaur will face Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov or Polish lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak in the last 16.
Women's third-seed Karolina Pliskova overcame her emotions and an inspired opponent to advance to the round of 16, downing Tunisian Ons Jabeur 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. 
On Thursday, 15-year-old American sensation Coco Gauff set up an eye-catching US Open showdown with defending champion Naomi Osaka while Rafael Nadal's path to the title eased further on Thursday as he received a walkover into the third round.
Gauff, who made a remarkable run to the fourth round at Wimbledon before falling to Simona Halep, defeated Hungarian qualifier Timea Babos 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to become the youngest player in the last 32 at a US Open since Anna Kournikova in 1996.
Alexander Zverev, the sixth seed, is the highest-ranked player remaining on his side of the draw, as the German survived a second successive five-set marathon by outlasting American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to equal his best US Open run.- AFP/Reuters
Men's fifth seed Daniil Medvedev, coming off a maiden Masters title in Cincinnati, was struck down by cramp during a 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win over Bolivia's Hugo Dellien.
"I'm not sure what happened today and why I started cramping suddenly," Medvedev said. "I obviously thought at one point 'How did I win?' I don't know how I did."
Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 US Open champion, beat Jeremy Chardy in four sets and is on a fourth-round collision course with Djokovic, while Australian 28th seed Nick Kyrgios rolled past 104th-ranked French wildcard Antoine Hoang 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Andrea Petkovic knocked out Czech sixth seed Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-4, while 15th seed Bianca Andreescu and two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki also progressed.