Three-time defending champion Roger Federer will meet his predecessor as U.S. Open champion when he takes on American Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday.
Federer, bidding to become the first man in the Open Era to win the title in four straight years, has not lost to Roddick in four years, a run stretching to 10 matches.
The top seed beat Roddick in the final last year, has won 13 of their 14 meetings overall and will go into the match as the overwhelming favourite as he looks to take a step closer to his 12th grand-slam title.
"I know the danger of Andy," Federer said.
"He's got an incredible serve, maybe the best in the game. There's not much sometimes you can do about that.
"I pretty much know his game. He's tried everything (against me), so I hope I won't get surprised next match."
Roddick, whose only grand-slam title to date came here in 2003, said he was looking forward to the challenge, even though he won only six games in their last match, a semi-final at this year's Australian Open.
"I'm excited to play him, the crowd will be electric," Roddick said.
"(In Australia) I was playing well, it was pretty even until 4-4, then he got on a hot streak. But (that) is in the past. I'm excited about the opportunity."
Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko and 10th seed Tommy Haas meet in the day's other quarter-final, a repeat of their clash at the same stage last year, when the Russian came from two sets down for victory.
The women's semi-final line-up will be completed as Wimbledon champion Venus Williams takes on third seed Jelena Jankovic, a semi-finalist here last year.
Former champion and fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia meets unseeded Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay, while Russian sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze plays Israeli 18th seed Shahar Peer in the remaining match.
