Roger Federer, via d.yimg.com

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All four favorites got through on Wednesday, which meant the end to the story of the tournament, but the continuation of an incredible story that has lasted for well over five years.

Men's Top Half Quarterfinals:

Roger Federer SUI (1) def. Robin Soderling SWE (12) 6-0, 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(6) -- It's a shame Robin Soderling wasn't able to make a match of this until the third set, because half the stadium was empty and most televisions had probably been turned off.  Once he got going, Soderling really had Federer on the ropes.  Soderling was smacking the ball as hard as anyone has all tournament, catching a previously coasting Federer off-guard and slow to raise his level.  Federer barely hung on in the fourth, saving a set point before winning the tiebreak 8-6. With the win Federer makes his 22nd consecutive slam semifinal, an incomprehensibly incomparable achievement you can read more about at the brand new SBNation.com .
 
Novak Djokovic SRB (4) def. Fernando Verdasco ESP (10) 7-6(2), 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 -- As one would expect from two players bizarre designs scrawled on their yellow Adidas shirts, this was a messy match.  There were no breaks in the first, but Djokovic thoroughly outplayed a nervous-looking Verdasco to take the tiebreak.  With all the momentum then on his side, Djokovic proceeded to get broken three times in the second set, swinging all the momentum Verdasco's direction.  Verdasco dictated play through most of the third, hitting far more winners but also far more errors than Djokovic.  His unsteady play did him in late in the set, as Djokovic broke at 5-5 on the back of several soft Verdasco errors.  Verdasco's untimely errors again did him in in the fourth set, handing Djokovic the match in four sets.  It was a sloppy affair that didn't inspire much confidence in terms of Djokovic's form.  But his self-belief and ability to win when he wasn't playing his best bode well, and he should feel no pressure whatsoever against Federer in the semifinals.

Women's Top Half Quarterfinals:

Caroline Wozniacki DEN (9) def. Melanie Oudin USA 6-2, 6-2 -- While a lot could be made about how Wozniacki's pushing was what undid Melanie Oudin's dream run at the US Open, it seemed pretty clear to me that Oudin was completely spent well before she stepped on the court.  Her incredible run through many of the game's top players was draining enough, but the constant interviews and questions, swarming paparazzi getting into brawls, mention after mention of what was written on her shoes had to wear the kid out.  I was worn out just watching her go through it all, so I can't imagine how beat she must feel.  And I didn't even mention the sleazy reporting that decided to use the occasion of Melanie's first grand slam quarterfinal to go digging through her parents' divorce papers.  Mary Joe Fernandez said that in her talks with Melanie during the tournament, she had expressed frustration at the press's surprise at her run,continually asking how she was able to beat players better than her.  The media's constant awe at her self-belief ironically seemed to undo Oudin's self-belief, and Wozniacki just had to sit back at let Oudin undo herself out there.  A sad conclusion to a great tournament for Oudin.  The way she went out and the media hurricane swirling around her will likely have spent all the energy she has for the rest of 2009, but by the Australian Open next year she should be fresh and ready to go.

Yanina Wickmayer BEL def. Kateryna Bondarenko UKR 7-5, 6-4 -- A fairly ugly beginning to this match was to be expected in a battle between inexperienced unseeded players both in their first grand slam quarterfinal.  But by the tail end of the set the quality got fairly good, with Wickmayer finding a rhythm on her serve and Bondarenko finding some range on her groundstrokes.  Bondarenko's serving let her down at the end of the second set, which she dropped 7-5.  But the Ukrainian kept the momentum she found late in the first into the second set, racing out to a 4-1 lead.  And then, out of nowhere, she raced to a 6-4 defeat, losing point after point in rapid succession to abruptly end what had looked to be a sure three-set battle.  Wickmayer was the most hyped of the four unseeded players who made the fourth round in the top quarter of the draw, so this should theoretically set up the most intriguing battle in the semis.  Yanina's story of loss and sacrifice to get where she is in tennis is pretty moving, and her ability to make it through five matches in a grand slam, no matter how mediocre most of her opponents were, is pretty remarkable.  That being said, I expect Wozniacki to mop the floor with her.