NEW YORK :Playing mostly mistake-free tennis, top-seeded Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open for the eighth year in a row -- and at a 22nd consecutive Grand Slam tournament overall.
Djokovic, the 2011 champion at Flushing Meadows, made only 19 unforced errors, saved both break points he faced, and breezed past 22nd-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 Monday.
The last time Djokovic was eliminated before the quarterfinals at a major was a third-round loss to Kohlschreiber at the 2009 French Open. But Djokovic has now won their four head-to-head matchups since then.
Employing his court-covering defensive style to perfection, Djokovic repeatedly forced Kohlschreiber to hit an extra shot, and the German wound up with nearly twice as many unforced errors, 36.
Still, Kohlschreiber -- who eliminated the last American man in the field, 13th-seeded John Isner, in the third round at Flushing Meadows for the third straight year -- had a chance to make Monday's match far more intriguing. Ahead 5-4 in the second set, with Djokovic serving, Kohlschreiber hit a forehand winner and then forced a rare backhand error at 30-all to earn a set point.
But Djokovic fended that off with what he later called a "really good" forehand passing shot winner to get to deuce, then held serve for 5-all and broke in the very next game to regain control.
"Managed to win that set, which was crucial," Djokovic said.
