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   David Ferrer inflicted the same punishment of second seeded fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal with a brilliant attacking performance to notch a 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 upset which ended well into Wednesday morning after three and a half hours.

   Nadal had won four against his countryman but lost for the first time against a compatriot in five Grand Slam meetings. He called for the trainer to look at finger injury and came to the court with left knee tendinitis.

    Nadal failed to reach a second consecutive New York quarter-final while 15th seed Ferrer reached the last eight for the first time.

    "I don't want to run more," said the winner. "I'm very tired but to beat Rafa I had to run a lot. I'm sorry for my friend but I'm happy for the win.

    "It's difficult to beat him, I was a bit nervous. Tonight is very special for me."

   Williams, who had not played since Wimbledon when she lost to Henin in the quarters, repeated that scenario as the world number one ran the American ragged for victory.

     Venus Williams was to face Serb third seed Jelena Jankovic on Wednesday in a last-eight match.

     The first set was competitive with Williams, who also lost to her rival in Paris, saving a set point before Henin took that set and blew through the second for the win.

     "I got nervous in the first, every ball was important," said the Belgian, who lost the final a year ago to Maria Sharapova. "I played a good tiebreak and I'm very happy about the second set.

    "I played aggressive and took all of my opportunities," she said after beating Williams for the first time on hardcourt to leave her record in the series at 6-6.

    Spain's veteran Carlos Moya will test himself against another tennis tyke as he faces a quarter-final against third seed Novak Djokovic.

     Former French Open champion Moya, 31, rolled back the clock, reaching the last eight at Flushing Meadows for the first time in nine years as he beat teenaged Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 on Tuesday.

    "These are the things that I really enjoy and appreciate much more than when I was 20, 22 years old," said the winner. "Now I see the end of my career, not maybe this year, not next year, but is gonna come soon.

    "So you appreciate these moment much more."

      Djokovic, 20, booked his spot with an ill-tempered win over Argentine Juan Monaco 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (6-8), 6-1.

    The South American managed to overcome a disheartening turn of events as he was penalised a point when a ball rolled out of his pocket for the second time in the contest during the third-set tiebreaker.

     But winning the decider didn't give the number 23 enough of a boost to see him through, with Djokovic streaking to victory with a runaway fourth set.

    The Spaniard is fresh from two victories over the rising Serb this season, including the Cincinnati second round last month.

    After taking a four-hour, five-set match in the previous round, Moya was keen to turn in a quick victory against the number 88 Gulbis from Latvia.

    The old pro had the crowd on his side as he advanced into the last eight as a summer comeback on hardcourt takes flight.

    "It was not an easy match, I was tired after the last one," Moya said. "We were both serving well, I'm very happy to be in the quarters.

     "I feel like I'm 20 with the way that I'm playing. It's great that the oldest always gets the support of the crowd."

     Argentine Juan Chela reached the second Grand Slam last eight of his career as he put out a frustrated Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4.

     Roger Federer's Davis Cup teammate was feeling the pace after winning five-set matches in two of his last three outings.

    Wawinka let an early break in the fifth go and could never recover.