Roger Federer after defeating Paul Capdeville in Flushing Meadows on Wednesday. (Reuters)

New York: Svetlana Kuznetsova pounded her way into the third round and Donald Young took a more leisurely path on Thursday at the US Open.

The fourth-seeded Kuznetsova didn’t dally in beating Camille Pin of France 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. The 2004 champion seemed especially determined after missing an easy forehand that lost the second set. Trying to finish off each rally in a hurry, Kuznetsova took every opportunity to rush the net. She smacked 46 winners in all, enough to overcome her 34 unforced errors.

Young also made it to the third round, and he didn’t have to pick up his racket. The 18-year-old Wimbledon junior champion won in a walkover when No. 13 Richard Gasquet of France withdrew because of a fever and a sore throat.

Also out of the tournament, at least on the singles side, was Bethanie Mattek. Wearing a low-cut silver top and headdress that semi-resembled her gold Wonder Woman-inspired ensemble in the first round, Mattek lost to No. 18 Shahar Peer of Israel 6-2, 6-1.

In another early match, No. 6 Anna Chakvetadze of Russia beat Nicole Pratt 6-3, 6-4.

On Wednesday, John Isner earned a shot at Roger Federer. He was always Isner’s favourite, the only player he enjoyed watching on television.

“I’m going to believe. I’m not saying I’m going to win, but I’m going to believe,” Isner said.

While the Williams sisters, Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin advanced as expected, Isner gave himself a chance to play the world’s top-ranked player at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Following his first-round upset of No. 26 Jarkko Nieminen, Isner beat Rik de Voest of South Africa 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

“Look, he’s new,” Federer said. “New kid on the block.”

Now, Isner gets to face the player he called “the most dominant athlete in the world, any sport.”

“I guess going into the US Open, I’m thinking I might draw him first round. I never would have imagined playing him in the third round of the US Open,” he said.

Federer, as usual, made it look easy. Trying for his fourth straight US Open title, he dismantled Paul Capdeville 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Rather than his lucky blue, Federer came dressed out in all-black — bandanna, shirt, socks and shiny shoes. Even his shorts had satin stripes down the sides, tuxedo-style.

“We had the idea of maybe doing something blue at the day, black at the night. I really liked the idea. I thought it really looks cool,” he said. “In New York, you can do such a thing. Nowhere else in the world.”

For the third straight day, the favourites kept winning. Easily, for the most part.

Former champions Venus and Serena both started slowly before hitting their stride and winning their second-round matches in straight sets.

Venus eased past Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-4, 6-2, while Serena defeated Italian Maria Elena Camerin 7-5, 6-2 in a night match.

“I felt like I had opportunities and didn’t take them,” Serena said. “It should have been a different scoreline but that was only because I missed the wrong shots at the wrong time.”

Third seed Jelena Jankovic also advanced, with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Belarussian Olga Govortsova.Tim Henman defeated 27th seed Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in his first round match on Wednesday.