He dispatched Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 to move to the quarterfinals where he’ll face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, also a player on a tear. “It will be a tough match“, said Cilic.

After getting broken late in the first set Friday, Bencic looked to be making headway in the second against the 23rd-seeded Venus, breaking for a 3-1 lead with a running, down-the-line backhand passing shot that drew an errant volley.

With the “defending champion” label before his name, he said, he felt relaxed and in control of the pressure. In fact Cilic took the tie break 7-2.

Williams, now 35 and dealing with auto-immune condition Sjogren’s syndrome, rallied from down a break in the second set Friday.

He next meets French 27th seed Jeremy Chardy, who ousted Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Bautista Agut is also attempting to snap a 13-match losing streak vs. Top 10 opponents (3-19 overall).

Tsonga maintained his impressive progress with a 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory over compatriot Benoit Paire.

The 30-year-old Tsonga did not face a single break point against Paire and has now held all 56 service games at the tournament.

“I have no idea how she plays or anything”, Venus said. Cilic was on an injury scare in the second set when he rolled his right ankle. He likes to play off the pace, relishes the speed of the stadium court, handles the low ball well for a big man and when his serve is firing the rest of his game flows. The 32nd seed, Fognini fell 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 to No. 18 Feliciano Lopez.

That will change against the ninth-ranked Cilic as Tsonga seeks to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time. His other three came at Wimbledon (2005, ’08, ’11). Given that fact, his wins, especially the one against Nadal, are commendable.

Seppi had upset Roger Federer in the third round of the Australian Open for his first win in 13 tries against the Swiss great, but history didn’t repeat against Djokovic.

Winners in women’s matches included Venus Williams. He is the first Italian to reach the round of 16 here since Davide Sanguinetti in 2005.

The last Italian man in the quarterfinals was Corrado Barazzutti, who went to the semi-finals in 1977 when the tournament was played at nearby Forest Hills.

“The first couple of games after doing that wasn’t easy, it was causing trouble”.

Cilic kept the pressure up, breaking the Frenchman in the fourth set, surging in front 5-0 and then serving out for the match. This will be the sixth time these two meet on hard court.