NEW YORK, Sept 9 — Roger Federer won a measure of revenge as he beat fifth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling 6-4 6-4 7-5 yesterday to reach the semi-finals of the US Open for the seventh successive time.

Federer, showing the all-round brilliance that has won him a record 16 grand slam titles, refused to let gusty winds at Arthur Ashe centre court slow down his charge as he routed Soderling, who had eliminated him in the quarter-finals at this year’s French Open.

The 29-year-old Swiss, whose string of five consecutive US Open titles was snapped last year in the final, commanded his serve with precision through the adverse conditions to quash Soderling in just under two hours.

Next up for the second-seeded Federer will be third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who beat France’s Gael Monfils to advance. Federer beat Djokovic in the Flushing Meadows final in 2007 and in the semi-finals the last two years. — Reuters