Wang Qiang reaches last 16 in U.S. Open on Friday. /VCG Photo
China's top ranking player Wang Qiang continued her powerful campaign by seeing off France's Fiona Ferro 7-6, 6-3 to ease into the U.S. Open's last 16 on Friday.
It's the first time that Wang booked a Grand Slam last 16 spot after losing in the third round of last year's U.S. Open.
Ranked number 74, Ferro reached the 3rd round after defeating Daria Gavrilova 6-3 6-4 and Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.
Wang will meet former No. 1 Ashleigh Barty after the reigning French Open champion dispatched Greek 30th seed Maria Sakkari 7-5, 6-3.
Britain's Johanna Konta extended her strong run of Grand Slam results this year by blasting past Chinese 33rd seed Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-3 to make the U.S. Open last 16 on Friday.
Konta, the 16th seed, equaled her 2015 and 2016 runs to the fourth round in New York and will play former runner-up Karolina Pliskova for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Pliskova, the 2016 U.S. 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.
"Physically it was quite a tough battle," Pliskova said. "It was important to win so it doesn't matter how I feel. So pleased to be through."
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.
Serena Williams, the all-time leader in Grand Slam titles, cruised into the fourth round of the U.S. Open. /VCG Photo
"I had a lot of intensity today, which is really good for me," Williams said.
The 37-year-old American, six times a U.S. Open champion, has been a runner-up in three of the past five Slams, falling to Naomi Osaka in last year's U.S. Open final. She last won a Slam crown at the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant and hasn't won the U.S. Open title since 2014.
"I actually prefer playing in the day because I get to go home and actually see my baby," Williams said.
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, whose effort was hampered by an 18-hour turnaround between matches.
"I really enjoyed myself," Federer said. "I was able to adjust and take care of business so it was good."
Evans blasted organizers for playing him first on limited rest after a rain-delayed match on Thursday while his 38-year-old Swiss rival, a 20-time Slam champion, rested after playing Wednesday under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I was fatigued," Evans said. "I thought it was pretty tough I was first up after playing yesterday, if I'm being brutally honest, so it was a bit disappointing.
"Just to try and beat him feeling tired, stiff, playing four sets yesterday, it's near on impossible, but I actually thought he played pretty much no-error tennis."
Swiss 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer celebrates a straight-set victory Friday over Britain's Dan Evans at the U.S. Open. /VCG Photo
Japanese seventh seed Nishikori was dispatched by the 20-year-old Aussie 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. De Minaur, on his deepest Grand Slam run, will next face Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov or Polish lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak.
"This is where I feel like my game's at. I want to be pushing second weeks of Grand Slams and putting myself out there. So very happy," De Minaur said. "Hopefully I can just keep it rolling."
It was the first victory over a top-10 foe in 12 tries for De Minaur, who squandered a two-set lead over 2014 U.S. Open winner Marin Cilic in last year's Open third round.
"I had a little bit of a thriller last year versus Cilic and was two sets to love up," De Minaur said. "I was glad I could finally get the win."
(With input from AFP)