Reed's FG gives Steelers 23-20 OT win over Ravens

Jeff Reed kicked a 46-yard field goal in overtime and the Pittsburgh Steelers overcame a 10-point deficit, numerous injuries and a late Baltimore comeback to outlast the Ravens 23-20 on Monday night.

Reed's third field goal ended a back-and-forth game in which the Steelers (3-1) were down by 10 late in the third quarter, rallied but couldn't hold a seven-point lead, then found a way to win despite being without their top three running backs.

Pittsburgh came back to win despite losing two players to season-ending injuries, running back and first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall (fractured shoulder) and right guard Kendall Simmons (right Achilles). Both will be placed on injured reserve, coach Mike Tomlin said.

The Ravens (2-1), losing for the seventh time in their last eight games in Pittsburgh and falling out of the AFC North lead, won the important overtime coin toss but were backed up by two penalties and a sack and Sam Koch had to punt out of the end zone.

Then, on third-and-8, Ben Roethlisberger found fourth-string running back Mewelde Moore — playing only because of the injuries — on a key 24-yard swing pass for a first down at the Ravens' 31. On third-and-14, Moore made a 7-yard catch to the 28 to give Reed the extra yardage he needed to make it.

"That was important — a 46-yarder there isn't a given, and a 53-yarder isn't easy," Reed said. "I get too much credit. My foot won it, but that's what I'm supposed to do in that situation."

Moore said, "Coach Tomlin told me when I came here I'd be his minute man, that I had to be ready on a minute's notice. Everything he said held true."

The Steelers turned the 10-point deficit into a 17-13 lead in a 15-second span in the third quarter, only to have rookie quarterback Joe Flacco of the Ravens hit Derrick Mason for 35 yards ahead of Le'Ron McClain's 2-yard TD run that tied it at 20 with 4:02 remaining.

Before then, Pittsburgh appeared to have overcome three mostly dreadful quarters in a momentum-turning span of three plays, and Reed added a 19-yard field goal to make it 20-13.

The Steelers, booed by their own fans while held without a touchdown for eight quarters since the second period of a 10-6 win in Cleveland on Sept. 14, finally awoke late in the third by going to a no-huddle offense with Roethlisberger lined up in a shotgun formation.

They resorted to the no-huddle almost by necessity, with Mendenhall out and Pro Bowl runner Willie Parker (knee) not in uniform.

With only one first down since the first quarter, the Steelers got a second when Baltimore's Jarret Johnson unwisely drew a personal foul penalty for an out-of-bounds hit following Nate Washington's 8-yard run. With his best field position since the first quarter, Roethlisberger — sacked and harassed by Baltimore's defense most of the game — found Santonio Holmes for a 38-yard touchdown pass three plays later on a third-and-4. Roethlisberger was 14-of-24 for 191 yards and was sacked three times.

On Baltimore's next play after the kickoff, Flacco — who had impeccably managed the game until then in only his third career start — fumbled while being sacked by James Harrison, Woodley scooped up the ball and scored from the 7, after initially attempting to fall on the ball.

"Then I remembered it wasn't college and I could run, and I don't have a lot of speed but I got in there," Woodley said.

Flacco, who was 16-of-31 for 192 yards, said, "I'm proud of the way we came back and tied the game up. I thought we did a good job of weathering what they threw at us. But I've got to take care of the ball."

Until that turnaround sequence, the Steelers' offensive malaise carried over from a dreary 15-6 loss in Philadelphia in which Roethlisberger was sacked eight times, threw an interception, lost a fumble and was dropped for a safety.

"We're resilient," Steelers receiver Hines Ward said. "There was no finger-pointing when we fell behind. We stayed together. I can't say enough about that group of running backs."

This time, the Steelers drove for Reed's 49-yard field goal on their opening possession, then could barely gain a yard until late in the third. Baltimore, beaten 38-7 in Pittsburgh last season, answered with field goals by Matt Stover of 33 and 20 yards before making it 13-3 on Flacco's first career TD pass, a 4-yarder to Daniel Wilcox with 17 seconds left before halftime.

Flacco, outplaying Roethlisberger for much of the game, set up the score with completions of 13 yards to Mason and 25 to McClain, who was in the game because starter Willis McGahee hurt his chest earlier in the 56-yard drive.

In a game filled with injuries, the Steelers also lost backup running back Carey Davis (ankle) and backup linebacker Andre Frazier, who was carted off the field on a stretcher with a spinal injury after being blocked by Haruki Nakamura during the opening kickoff. Frazier was immobilized before leaving the field, but appeared to be fine after the game.

Pittsburgh won its 14th consecutive Monday night home game, a streak that dates to a 1991 loss to the New York Giants at Three Rivers Stadium.

White Sox win, play makeup Monday against Tigers

The White Sox ensured they will play at least one more game. Mark Buehrle won on three days' rest, Paul Konerko hit his fourth homer in three games and Jermaine Dye had a two-run single to lead the White Sox over the Cleveland Indians 5-1 Sunday, keeping Chicago alive in the AL Central.

The White Sox (87-74), who stopped a five-game losing streak, remained half-game behind division-leading Minnesota (88-74), which beat Kansas City 6-0. Chicago must play a makeup game Monday against Detroit. If the White Sox win that one, Chicago would host a tiebreaker game against the Twins on Tuesday.

Buehrle (15-12), coming off a 121-pitch outing, made his third start on short rest this season and his second in September. He allowed one run and nine hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked one, throwing 111 pitches.

Chicago backed him with four double plays, and Indians third baseman Jamey Carroll made a key error that allowed the go-ahead run to score in a three-run second inning.

Jhonny Peralta's second-inning homer put Cleveland ahead. But Bryan Bullington (0-2), starting because 22-game winner Cliff Lee was scratched with a stiff neck, couldn't hold it.

Konerko's second-inning homer tied it, and Chicago loaded the bases when Ken Griffey Jr. doubled, Alexei Ramirez walked and A.J. Pierzynski singled.

Juan Uribe's grounder was fumbled by Carroll as Griffey scored the go-ahead run, and Orlando Cabrera followed with a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead.

After singles by Uribe and Cabrera, Dye delivered a two-out, two-run single in the seventh off Juan Rincon.

Matt Thornton pitched the eighth and Bobby Jenks the ninth, combining for one-hit relief.

Bullington (0-2) gave up three runs — two earned — and five hits in five innings. Cleveland finished a disappointing season at 81-81 after falling to 37-53 after play on July 9.

Notes:@ Buehrle picked Franklin Gutierrez off in the fifth. It was the left-hander's 59th career pickoff and seventh this season. ... Indians CF Grady Sizemore made a highlight-reel catch in the seventh, leaping up against the fence in right center to rob Pierzynski.

Favre's 6 TD passes lead Jets past Cardinals 56-35

The New York Jets' defense rattled and roughed up Kurt Warner in the second quarter, and Brett Favre took care of the rest. Favre threw a career-high and Jets-record six touchdown passes, including three to Laveranues Coles, and New York took advantage of a series of mistakes by Arizona in a big second quarter before holding on to beat the Cardinals 56-35 on Sunday.

Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin was carted off the field after a scary helmet-to-helmet collision with Eric Smith in the end zone with 27 seconds remaining.

Boldin was moving all his extremities on the field and was talking to his teammates coming off the field and going into the locker room. He was being taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons.

"He's alert," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He's talking and moving all his extremities. He asked to get up and the doctors won't let him."

New York's defense forced five turnovers — three fumbles and two interceptions — in the first half and the Jets (2-2) set a franchise record by scoring 34 points in the second quarter.

Favre, showing no signs of a left ankle injury that hobbled him during the week, finished 24-for-34 for 289 yards. Coles had eight catches for 105 yards and Jerricho Cotchery had two touchdown catches as the Jets, wearing their navy and gold New York Titans throwback uniforms, scored the second-most points in franchise history.

Warner tried to bring the Cardinals (2-2) back in the second half as Arizona scored 35 points. Warner, 40-of-57 for 472 yards, threw a 14-yard TD pass to Jerheme Urban with 4:49 left, but lost the ball again on a fumble with less than 3 minutes left.

Favre hit Dustin Keller for a 24-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion with 1:54 remaining to seal it.

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald had eight catches in his 64th career game, making him the third-fastest to 350.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Jets got on the scoreboard early in the second when Favre found Coles streaking across the back of the end zone for a 7-0 lead 16 seconds into the quarter.

Darrelle Revis gave the Jets a 14-0 lead just over a minute later on a 32-yard interception return, the first touchdown of the second-year cornerback's career.

Coles caught his second touchdown pass of the game with 7:17 left in the half as he went uncovered down the left sideline as Eric Green crumpled to the turf near the line of scrimmage with a sprained right knee.

New York got the ball right back when Smith intercepted Warner on a pass intended for Boldin. Jay Feely kicked a 20-yard field goal with 3:32 remaining in the half to give the Jets a 24-0 lead.

Warner turned the ball over again when he was sacked from behind by Calvin Pace, who forced a fumble that was recovered by David Harris. Favre and Coles connected for the third time on a 2-yard score with 10 seconds left to make it 31-0.

After getting the ball back, the Cardinals chose to run a play instead of taking a knee — and paid for it. Warner was sacked by David Bowens, who knocked the ball out of the quarterback's hands and recovered it. Feely came out and kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired, and the Jets ran into the locker room to a standing ovation.

James got the Cardinals on the scoreboard on their first possession of the second half, running the ball in from 4 yards. Arizona made it 34-15 on its next possession, capping a 13-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run and 2-point conversion by James.

The Cardinals recovered an onside kick and drove down the field in seven plays, with Tim Hightower running the ball in from 1 yard to make it 34-21. Arizona again went for a 2-point conversion, but failed.

Favre came back and connected with Cotchery on a 17-yard touchdown with 11:50 remaining, but Boldin had an 8-yard touchdown catch with 9:49 left, making it 41-28.

Again, Favre led the Jets down the field and hit Cotchery again for a 40-yard touchdown.

Rays celebrate AL East title after Red Sox loss

The wait is over. The Tampa Bay Rays won their first AL East title late Friday night when the Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees. The Rays lost 6-4 to the Detroit Tigers earlier and had to sit through the rain-delayed Boston loss before celebrating their championship.

Manager Joe Maddon and a few of the players remained in the clubhouse at Comerica Park to watch the Red Sox game. Others watched it at Detroit's MGM Grand and back at the team hotel.

"It's one of those things where it's something you've fantasized about your whole life," Maddon said. "You can't believe it. You have to kind of wait and sit back. It just feels fantastic right now, wonderful."

After the Red Sox lost, Carlos Pena hugged teammate B.J. Upton and yelled "I told you we could do it! I told you we could do it!"

"Unbelievable," Pena said. "It just feels unbelievable."

Tampa Bay, which had never won more than 70 games in a season, became the first team other than Boston and New York to win the division since Baltimore did it in 1997.

The Rays also became the first AL team in the divisional era to finish with the worst record in its league then win its division in the following year, according to Stats, LLC. Atlanta in 1991 and the Chicago Cubs in 2007 also accomplished the feat.

Their mantra was "98" — which essentially translates to nine players playing hard for nine innings every day equals one of eight postseason berths.

Gary Sheffield hit two home runs and Ramon Santiago also went deep in the Tigers' victory.

"We were definitely disappointed, it would have been nice to win it on the field," Pena said after Tampa Bay's loss.

Sheffield, who returned from a four-game suspension for fighting with Cleveland pitcher Fausto Carmona, has 499 career home runs.

"It wasn't something I thought about," Sheffield said about the 500-home run milestone.

Santiago homered for the third time in two days and Justin Verlander (11-17) won his first game since Aug. 22. He allowed two runs and five hits in five innings, walking three and striking out eight.

Upton homered and drove in two runs for the Rays.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 18 chances. He allowed a run on first baseman Miguel Cabrera's error, but escaped a second and third, two-out jam by getting Jason Bartlett to fly out.

Andy Sonnanstine (13-9) gave up five runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings for the Rays, walking five and striking out seven.

"A little erratic at the start," he said. "And by the time I got things straightened out, it was to late."

Detroit won despite losing Placido Polanco in the first inning, when the second baseman slid into home and sprained his left ankle.

He rolled over and writhed in pain after sliding across the plate and beating the tag by catcher Dioner Navarro. X-rays were negative and Polanco, hitting .307 with eight home runs and 58 RBIs, was scheduled to be re-evaluated Saturday.

Tampa Bay got on the board in the third on Upton's fielder's choice grounder, and Pena's two-out RBI single in the fifth closed the gap to 5-2. Upton's ninth homer of the season made it 5-3 in the seventh.

Sheffield added his second homer and 19th of the season in the eighth.

Notes:@ Tampa Bay reinstated OF Carl Crawford from the disabled list before the game. He missed 43 games with a right middle finger injury, suffered on Aug. 9. He had surgery on Aug. 14. He was used as a pinch runner in the ninth. ... Magglio Ordonez has driven on 100 runs for the third straight season. He's the first Tiger to do so since Cecil Fielder (1990-93).

Weeks homers to help Brewers take wild-card lead

The Milwaukee Brewers control their own destiny again. Rickie Weeks hit a three-run homer in the seventh, Seth McClung pitched four scoreless innings in relief and the Brewers rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Friday night for their fifth straight win and the lead in the NL wild-card race.

With the Mets losing 6-1 to Florida, Milwaukee leads New York by a game with two to play.

Weeks, who has been relegated to a bench role but replaced Ray Durham after the sixth, drove reliever Chad Gaudin's pitch deep to left field, flipping his bat as his shot cleared the wall to score McClung and Mike Cameron.

The win eliminated the Astros even though Houston beat Atlanta 5-4.

Corey Hart added a two-out run-scoring single in the sixth and Jason Kendall a two-out RBI double in the second to put the Brewers back on top of a race they seemed likely to win at the start of September, when they led the wild-card race by 5 1/2 games.

But Milwaukee dropped 15 of 19 to begin the regular season's final month. Manager Ned Yost was fired and replaced with Dale Sveum, leaving the Brewers in a desperate scramble to reach the postseason for the first time since 1982.

Now Milwaukee is a win away from at least a spot in a play-in game, but the Brewers would have to go on the road in every tiebreaker scenario and would rather just keep beating the Cubs.

They did on Friday night with McClung's stellar work out of the bullpen.

With the game tied at 1 in the sixth, Cubs reliever Sean Marshall (3-5) allowed a leadoff double to Durham and walked Ryan Braun before striking out Prince Fielder. Jeff Samardzija came in and got J.J. Hardy to pop up for the second out, but Hart flared a go-ahead RBI single to left, his second of the game after coming in hitting .172 in September.

In the seventh, backup catcher Koyie Hill was called for catcher's interference during McClung's at-bat. McClung reached second on a balk and moved to third on Cameron's single before Weeks' shot off Gaudin made it 5-1.

The Brewers got yet another victory despite a shaky starting rotation that's held up to every move Sveum's made. The next risk comes Saturday, when All-Star Ben Sheets (sore elbow) starts for the first time since Sept. 17.

Brewers starter Jeff Suppan, 0-3 with a 10.47 ERA in his first four September starts, allowed eight hits and a walk over five innings. McClung (6-6) did the rest, striking out six and retiring 10 of the final 11 Cubs.

Suppan's lone mistake was a belt-high pitch to Jim Edmonds in the second that Edmonds launched in the Brewers' bullpen to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. But Kendall tied it in the bottom of the second with his RBI double, scoring Hart.

Dempster, who'll start Game 1 of the National League Division Series, threw five innings in his final tuneup before the postseason. He allowed four hits and a walk while striking out four over 80 pitches before being replaced by Marshall. Manager Lou Piniella said Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden and Ted Lilly would start following Dempster in the playoffs.

The last time these two teams met, the NL Central was up for grabs and the Cubs had a grand time, sweeping the Brewers over four games to end July by a combined score of 31-11.

But the Cubs are under no pressure in this final three-game series, having locked up homefield advantage in the NL. They still played their starting lineup except Mark DeRosa, sidelined with a strained calf.

After Sheets, Milwaukee will send CC Sabathia (10-2, 1.78) to the mound on short rest for the third consecutive time on Sunday if it's necessary to secure a postseason berth.

Twins sweep White Sox, move into first place

Alexi Casilla singled in the winning run in the 10th inning Thursday night and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 to move into first place in the AL Central by a half-game.

Casilla's soft hit into short center off Bobby Jenks (3-1) scored Nick Punto and led to a wild celebration on the field at the Metrodome, capping a three-game sweep by the Twins.

Joe Nathan (1-2) pitched two perfect innings for the victory, part of a Minnesota bullpen that totaled 6 1-3 scoreless innings and surrendered only two hits.

Carlos Gomez made up for a costly defensive mistake during a six-run fourth by the White Sox — who knocked Twins starter Kevin Slowey out that inning with an injured wrist — with four hits and two RBIs.

Gomez scored on Denard Span's triple off Jenks in the eighth, tying it at 6. Jenks then struck out Casilla and got Joe Mauer to ground out to end the inning.

Gomez made a sliding catch to end the ninth, too.

Matt Thornton relieved White Sox starter Gavin Floyd and got four outs on 10 pitches, but Brendan Harris greeted him with a pinch double in the eighth and manager Ozzie Guillen summoned Jenks after one out.

Gomez singled in a run, and Span followed with his triple down the right-field line — turning toward his dugout to scream after reaching third and repeatedly pumping his arm in celebration. Jenks, whose streak of 15 straight saves converted ended, muttered to himself as he walked behind the mound and the crowd of 43,601 — the second-largest in Minnesota this year — roared.

The Twins host the Kansas City Royals three times this weekend to finish their schedule, while the wilting White Sox head home for a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians. If these teams are still within a half-game of each other after play is completed Sunday, Chicago must make up a rainout against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Then, if they're tied, the Twins will have to travel to the South Side for a one-game playoff Tuesday to determine the division champion.

Slowey retired the first 13 batters he faced before Orlando Cabrera homered in the fourth. Cabrera's drive, just above left fielder Delmon Young's glove, landed in the first row of seats and tied it at 1.

Slowey's night quickly unraveled after that.

He should have been on the bench long before he was hurt, though. Gomez helped seal Wednesday's 3-2 win with a running catch in center of A.J. Pierzynski's drive for the second out in the ninth, but he overeagerly chased Jim Thome's one-out fly to the warning track Thursday and — failing to heed Span's call in right field — collided with his teammate as they both converged on the ball.

Thome got a double, and Paul Konerko followed with an RBI groundout. Alexei Ramirez later hit a low chopper to third baseman Brian Buscher, who charged and bobbled the ball when he tried the glove-to-hand transfer. The ruling was a single, and the Sox led 3-1 before they broke it open — nearly breaking Slowey's wrist — on Juan Uribe's smash.

The Twins got two back in the bottom half on a two-out RBI triple by Gomez followed by a bloop double from Span. Gomez hit another triple in the sixth and scored on a sacrifice by Span, cutting the lead to 6-4. Guillen called for Thornton to get Joe Mauer, who's surging toward his second batting title in three years, to ground into a fielder's choice.

Mauer drove in the first run with a double that eluded Ken Griffey Jr.'s reach in center field, though a younger version of the 10-time Gold Glove winner probably would've caught it.

Notes:@ Slowey finished 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA over five September appearances. He failed to go at least five innings in five of his 27 starts this season, including the last two. ... Guillen on his hopes for support at U.S. Cellular Field this weekend: "I hope they show up like they did here. White Sox fans, they should be proud of this ballclub." ... Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has gotten to the point where set roles for his relievers are out the window. Rookie Jose Mijares, who has given up one run in seven innings since he came up at the beginning of the month, is currently the best bet for the eighth inning to set up Nathan. "I don't want to put all the pressure in the world on the young man, but he's throwing the ball very well," Gardenhire said.

Rays beat Red Sox 5-4, increase lead in AL East

Pinch-hitter Dan Johnson homered off Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning to tie it, and Dioner Navarro doubled in the go-ahead run Tuesday night as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied past the Boston Red Sox 5-4 to snap a four-game skid and extend their lead in the AL East.

The Rays had lost six of seven games — and the Red Sox had won six of seven, including a 3-0 victory in the series opener — to cut the cushion from 5 1/2 games to just a half-game. With a victory Tuesday, the Red Sox could have moved into first place for the first time since June 28; instead, the Rays are 1 1/2 up and assured of leading the division when they leave town Wednesday.

Boston holds a six-game lead in the AL wild-card standings over Minnesota, which beat Kansas City.

Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead in the fourth and still led 3-2 with two outs in the eighth when Dan Wheeler (4-5) walked Kevin Youkilis and then Jason Bay barely cleared the Green Monster to give Boston the lead. Bay, acquired at the trade deadline, homered for the third straight game.

But Papelbon (5-4) blew a save opportunity for the fifth time this season.

Johnson, scratched from the starting lineup because he began the day in Triple-A and didn't get to the ballpark in time, hit one over the Red Sox bullpen in right to tie it. One out later, Fernando Perez doubled and Navarro did the same to make it 5-4.

Troy Percival pitched the ninth for his 28th save. Wheeler earned the victory despite coughing up the lead, allowing two runs in the eighth inning.

The Rays stranded 12 in the first eight innings, going 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position before Navarro's double in the ninth.

Scott Kazmir allowed two runs and struck out four before leaving with a 3-2 lead after six. Daisuke Matsuzaka needed 102 pitches to labor through five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and four walks while failing to record his 17th win.

Matsuzaka loaded the bases in the third on a bunt single and two walks, then hit Cliff Floyd with a pitch to give up the Rays' first run. Willy Aybar's sacrifice fly made it 2-1, then Matsuzaka got Eric Hinske on a liner to second and Navarro on a grounder to first to end the threat.

The Rays made it 3-1 on Jason Bartlett's double in the fourth. Boston cut the lead to one run in the bottom half on Mike Lowell's homer — his first at Fenway Park in three months.

Kazmir, who hadn't allowed a run in his previous two starts, gave up one in the first on Youkilis' double.

Notes:@ Tampa Bay brought up Johnson and C Michael Hernandez from Triple-A Durham and designated INF Joel Guzman for assignment. ... The Red Sox recalled RHP Bartolo Colon from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket and sent RHP David Aardsma on a rehab assignment to Class-A Lowell of the New York Penn League. ... The game was delayed for a couple of minutes in the fifth when plate umpire Mark Wegner went for a new mask after being hit by a foul tip.

Federer wins 5th straight Open, 13th major title

The handwritten letters and the e-mails, the care packages and — get this — the instructional DVDs began reaching Roger Federer early in the season, after a bout of mononucleosis precipitated the end of his streak of 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals.

The volume increased after Federer lost the French Open and Wimbledon finals. From all around the world they arrived, some to his parents' house in Switzerland, some to his agent, some to his hotels. They came from retired players and from current coaches, from doctors, from fans. They offered good wishes, medical advice, even tennis advice.

Everyone figured Federer needed help, and everyone figured they knew how to help.

Turns out Federer was just fine. Turns out he still knew how to win a major tournament. He proved that Monday night, easily beating Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 to win a fifth consecutive U.S. Open championship and 13th Grand Slam title overall.

"I felt like I was invincible for a while again," said Federer, the only man in tennis history to win five straight titles at two major events.

He moved within one Grand Slam title of tying Pete Sampras' record of 14.

"I always knew that if I were to get one Slam under my belt, especially the last one, things weren't looking that bad, like everybody was talking about," Federer said. "I didn't feel I was under pressure to prove myself in trying to win here, but this definitely feels very sweet."

Nothing like the bitter taste left by his lopsided loss to nemesis Rafael Nadal in the French Open final. Or by his heartbreakingly narrow loss to Nadal — 9-7 in the fifth set in fading light — in the Wimbledon final, denying Federer a sixth straight title there. Those, plus a semifinal loss at the Australian Open, were among Federer's 12 defeats by August in 2008, more than he had in any entire season from 2004-07. He also arrived in New York with only two titles from minor events, and allowed Nadal to end Federer's record 4 1/2-year reign at No. 1 last month.

"Maybe you can't win everything," said his father, Robert Federer. "After the French Open, you could see many (negative) comments saying, 'Federer is gone,' 'Federer will never win another Grand Slam.' And Federer proved the opposite."

His son heard those comments and thought about them.

"I was aware of it. I mean, I'm a bit disappointed. Sometimes, to a point, a bit annoyed," Federer said, mentioning the letters he received.

"People come out of the closet and think they can start helping me now. It's just a pain," he continued. "For me, this sort of puts them to rest a little bit, and calms down the phones at my parents' (home) a little bit."

Whatever motivation he might have derived from perceived slights, Federer was absolutely superb against Murray, stretching his winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 34 matches.

The sixth-seeded Murray upset Nadal in the semifinals to reach his first Grand Slam final, and entered Monday with a 2-1 record against Federer. But Murray never really had a chance.

"I came up against, in my opinion, the best player ever to play the game," said Murray, who tried to give Britain its first men's major champion in 72 years. "He definitely set the record straight today."

At 21, here's how young Murray is: Back when Federer was winning his first U.S. Open title in 2004, Murray was taking the U.S. Open junior trophy.

Federer, coincidentally, also was 21 when he played his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2003. Except Federer beat Mark Philippoussis that day and continues to win major championship matches against everyone except a certain Spaniard: Federer is 2-4 against Nadal in Grand Slam finals, 11-0 against anyone else.

Against Murray, he accumulated a 36-16 advantage in winners and won the point on 31 of 44 trips to the net. His volleying might have been helped by his work winning a gold medal in doubles at the Beijing Olympics, a result he also credited with boosting his confidence.

Murray — whose ranking rises to No. 4 — stood about 10 feet behind the baseline to return serves, exactly the way he did against Nadal in their two-day, rain-interrupted semifinal. And Murray displayed flashes of the get-to-every-ball defense he used against Nadal, including one pretty flick of a lob by Federer with his back to the net.

But Federer, who had an extra day to rest because his semifinal wasn't affected by Tropical Storm Hanna, was simply too much for Murray.

Too good.

Too smart.

Too experienced.

Too, well, Federeresque.

"Seeing him play like that made me very, very happy for him," said Federer's part-time coach, Jose Higueras, "because he's a great champion and he's gone through some rough times."

Only once did Murray throw a scare into Federer, taking 11 of 12 points to go from 2-0 down in the second set to 2-all and love-40 on Federer's serve.

On the second break chance, a 14-stroke rally ended with Murray missing a backhand. TV replays, however, showed one of Federer's shots should have been called out — had it been, Murray would have led 3-2.

"Not necessarily would have won the match or anything," Murray said, "but it would have given me a bit of confidence."

But there was no call there, and no reprieve, because Federer stayed steady and held serve.

"After that," Federer said, "I began to play freely, the way I usually do."

In the next game, Murray began clutching at his right knee and looking up at his substantial support group in the stands, a gathering that included his mother, two coaches and two trainers. Murray, though, said the knee had no bearing on the outcome.

This is what made the difference: "He made very few mistakes," Murray said.

Federer closed the second set by extending a 10-stroke point with terrific court coverage, and then — shifting from defense to offense in a blink — delivering a forehand passing shot. Federer turned to his guest box — which included his pal, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour — and bellowed, punching down with his right fist.

This is how he is supposed to play.

This is how these Grand Slam finals are supposed to go.

When Federer broke serve for the seventh time, ending the match, he rolled around with glee on the blue court. Instead of heading into the offseason wondering what went wrong, the 27-year-old Federer can look ahead with optimism.

When the men met at the net, Murray felt compelled to share a thought with Federer.

"I told him that he had, you know, a phenomenal year," Murray said, "regardless of what anyone said."

Serena Williams beats Jankovic for 3rd Open title

Serena Williams flung her racket straight up and jumped for joy, hopping and skipping and screaming and generally looking like someone who had just won her first U.S. Open title or earned her debut at No. 1.

Nope.

It sure had been a while, though.

Displaying the talent and tenacity that allowed her to dominate tennis earlier in the decade, Williams outlasted Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 Sunday night in a thrill-a-minute match chock full of marvelous strokes and momentum swings to win her third U.S. Open championship and ninth Grand Slam title.

"Every one is so exciting, believe me," Williams said. "This is cool because I'm at No. 9. I'm pushing the doors closer to double digits, which of course I want to get to."

And there was this "added bonus," as Williams termed it: She returns to the top of the rankings.

"I think this title meant more to Serena than any title she's ever won," her father and coach, Richard Williams said.

As the women met at the net when it ended, Williams felt compelled to say to Jankovic, "I'm sorry I got so excited."

No apology necessary.

Four times a single point from heading to a third set, Williams was simply relentless. She took the final four games, and 13 of the last 19 points.

"I felt I had her. I had her, because she was really tired at the end of the second set," Jankovic said. "Who knows what would have happened if I had got into a third set? I probably would have had the upper hand. But who knows?"

Instead, Williams took the title without dropping a set. The closest she came to losing one? In the quarterfinals, when she beat older sister Venus in two tiebreakers.

On this night, Venus was in the guest box, cheering for Kid Sis.

"Her desire is unbelievable," Richard Williams said. "I describe her as being a combination of a pit bull dog, a young Mike Tyson and an alligator."

It was his youngest daughter's first triumph at Flushing Meadows since 2002, and it guaranteed that the American will lead the rankings Monday for the first time since a 57-week run ended in August 2003 — the longest gap between stints at No. 1 for a woman.

"I feel," the 26-year-old Williams said, "like I have a new career."

Williams' previous Grand Slam title came in January 2007, at the Australian Open.

For Jankovic, it was her first Grand Slam final anywhere, and she was having the time of her life. She smiled even after losing points, and she kept a close eye on the overhead video boards, either to watch replays or to check out which celebrities were in the audience.

"They should turn it off, because I keep looking," the Serb said. "You see your big face up there and you can't help but look up."

Jankovic was ranked No. 1 for one week last month and would have returned there by winning a title match that was postponed from Saturday night because of Tropical Storm Hanna. During the postmatch ceremony, Jankovic charmed the crowd, asking how much her runner-up check was worth (for the record: $750,000). Later, she said the drama of her matches and her fun-loving style of play meant she deserved an Oscar instead of a silver dish.

As good as the second-seeded Jankovic is at retrieving balls and extending points, Williams can do that with the best of them, too. That led to point after point lasting more than a dozen shots as both women scurried around Arthur Ashe Stadium, their sneakers squeaking loudly.

But the difference in strength was clear: Repeatedly after those lengthy exchanges, Jankovic was left shaking her racket hand, trying to lessen the sting. On the match's first point, Williams drove a backhand winner with such force, such ferocity, that she sent one of her earrings flying.

The fourth-seeded Williams finished with 44 winners, 29 more than Jankovic, and smacked serves at up to 120 mph, a 14 mph edge over her opponent's fastest.

The finish was fantastic.

Williams somehow prolonged the second set after falling behind love-40 while serving and trailing 5-3.

Those three break points were set points for Jankovic, and Williams deleted each one, with a backhand winner, an overhead winner and then by forcing an errant backhand on a 10-stroke point. A 98 mph service winner left a frustrated Jankovic tossing her racket up in the air like a majorette's baton. When she sailed the next return long, Williams was at 5-4.

The next game was filled with as much drama as many a match.

Jankovic earned her fourth set point with an ace, then blew it by double-faulting.

Williams earned six break points and frittered away five. On No. 6, they produced a spectacular 22-stroke point that Williams ended with a forehand passing shot down the line.

As quickly as it once appeared things were getting away from Williams, she regained the lead. The next game featured more brilliant play by both, including a 24-stroke exchange Jankovic won with a forehand, and an 11-stroke point Williams took with a perfect stab volley.

Now up 6-5, four points from the title, Williams flexed her arm muscles and gritted her teeth. At the other end, four points from defeat, Jankovic went up to the bouncing ball and kicked it.

Serving to stay in it, Jankovic wasted a game point with a double-fault. Then she dropped a groundstroke into the net, presenting Williams with a second match point. Williams converted, ending a 14-stroke point with a backhand winner.

And then came the wild on-court display.

There were times when it looked as if Williams wouldn't get to celebrate, even if one of her volleys left Jankovic sprawled on the court, doing the splits, then resting on her knees and covering her face.

To put it simply: Williams couldn't put Jankovic away.

The underdog hung tough in the second set, saving two break points at 1-0 and two more at 3-2. She also complained to the chair umpire that Williams was taking too long between points.

"I really was a little bit upset about the umpire," Jankovic said. "(Williams) took her time to recover and get herself back together."

Suddenly, when Williams flubbed a drop shot, Jankovic broke for a 4-3 lead, then held to 5-3.

But Jankovic wouldn't win another game.

Williams wouldn't allow it.

"I figured, 'All I have to do is win one point here and one point there,'" Williams said. "I was ready."

Another upset: East Carolina stuns No. 8 WVU 24-3

Skip Holtz followed his biggest coaching victory at East Carolina with an even more impressive one. Jonathan Williams had two short touchdown runs, quarterback Patrick Pinkney was nearly perfect and the Pirates routed No. 8 West Virginia 24-3 on Saturday for their third straight win over a ranked team.

Pinkney was 22-of-28 for 236 yards with a touchdown for East Carolina (2-0), which opened the season with a last-minute upset of then-No. 17 Virginia Tech.

This one was decided much earlier. The Pirates never trailed, kept Pat White in check, outgained West Virginia 386-251 and were in control from start to finish.

They cruised to their first upset of a top-10 team since the Steve Logan-led team stunned then-No. 9 Miami 27-23 on Sept. 23, 1999, in a game played 90 miles west in Raleigh because of Hurricane Floyd-related damage.

These Pirates may have done something even more remarkable — they followed last season's Hawaii Bowl victory over then-No. 22 Boise State by taking care of the two toughest teams on this year's schedule. Those wins could propel them back into the Top 25 for the first time since '99 while keeping them in the conversation for an at-large BCS berth.

White rushed for 97 yards on 20 carries and finished 11-of-18 for 72 yards for the Mountaineers (1-1), who for the second time in four games as a top-10 team were stunned by an unranked team dating back to a loss to Pittsburgh last December that kept them out of the national championship game.

Pat McAfee kicked a 26-yard field goal midway through the second quarter for West Virginia's only points. The Mountaineers were held without a touchdown for the first time since a 45-3 loss at Miami in 2001.

East Carolina entered just 2-17 against West Virginia with seven straight losses in the series, but claimed a surprisingly easy victory by keeping the ball away from WVU's high-powered offense and wearing down an inexperienced defense.

The Pirates had three scoring drives of 11 or more plays and went longer than six minutes, and Williams capped two of them with scoring runs of 5 and 1 yards. His second score came on East Carolina's first possession of the second half, closed a 12-play drive that included three third-down conversions and sent the crowd into delirium.

Williams, one of the committee of running backs Holtz is counting on to replace Tennessee Titans first-round draft pick Chris Johnson, led East Carolina with 69 yards on 17 carries.

He started the scoring with a 5-yard run that capped the Pirates' 11-play opening drive and came two plays after Pinkney's 35-yard completion to Jamar Bryant on third-and-9.

Ben Ryan added a 42-yard field goal midway through the second to make it 10-0, and the Pirates pushed their lead to 14 by turning West Virginia's second turnover into a touchdown. Marcus Hands recovered Jock Sanders' fumble at the Mountaineers' 35, and four plays later Pinkney's lofted a 13-yard pass to Taylor over cornerback Brandon Hogan to make it 17-3 with 47 seconds before halftime.

Myers, Dobbs lead Phillies past Mets in opener

Brett Myers buzzed through the New York Mets' lineup, pitching eight dominant innings and leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-0 victory Friday night that cut their NL East deficit to two games.

Greg Dobbs hit a two-run homer off Mike Pelfrey (13-9), and the Phillies took the opener of a crucial three-game series between the top teams in the division. Philadelphia, which rallied past the collapsing Mets last September, handed New York only its sixth loss in 23 games.

Brad Lidge got through a shaky ninth, retiring Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church with two on to end it.

Shane Victorino helped manufacture a run in the first inning, giving Myers all the offense he needed. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out 10 in another overpowering performance, winning his fourth straight start.

After struggling early this season and even going down to the minors to polish his game, Myers (9-10) is 6-1 in nine outings since coming back from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on July 20. He has not allowed a run in three of his past four starts, yielding only two runs in his last 31 innings.

Lidge remained perfect in 34 save chances this year. He completed Philadelphia's NL-leading 11th shutout this season, while New York was blanked for the fifth time.

David Wright doubled with one out in the ninth and went to third on Carlos Delgado's single. But Beltran flied to shallow left on a 3-1 pitch and Victorino ran down Church's long drive to center.

With two meetings left this weekend, Philadelphia improved to 6-10 against the Mets this season. The Phillies won the final eight matchups last year and overtook their rivals to win the division.

Philadelphia is looking for another comeback this September, and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt sent the team an inspirational message that is sure to rankle Mets fans.

A Phillies star from 1972-89 and now a special instructor in spring training for the team, Schmidt wrote Charlie Manuel an e-mail that the manager posted on the inside door of the clubhouse for his players to see as they headed out for batting practice Friday.

Part of it read: "the Mets know you're better than they are. They remember last year."

It was the latest boast in a rivalry that's become awfully bitter the past two seasons.

Victorino got Philadelphia started this time when he singled in the first, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error by catcher Brian Schneider. Chase Utley delivered an RBI groundout.

With two outs in the seventh, Dobbs drove a 2-2 pitch to right and the ball skimmed off the top of Church's glove as he leaped at the fence.

When he came down, Church looked at his glove and slammed it on his knee in frustration.

Pelfrey lost for the first time in five starts, yielding two earned runs and four hits in seven innings.

Notes:@ New York closer Billy Wagner (elbow) threw another bullpen session and said it went well. He and the Mets are targeting a Tuesday return, but Wagner thinks it might be better to hold off until next weekend against Atlanta. Interestingly, manager Jerry Manuel said if Wagner doesn't have a chance to face hitters in a game situation — such as a minor league rehab assignment — before coming off the disabled list, he might use the lefty in setup situations at first to make sure he's sound. ... If Saturday's game is rained out, as expected, the teams plan to play a day-night doubleheader on Sunday. ... The Mets homered in their previous 14 games. ... Myers threw 118 pitches and struck out eight of 11 batters during one stretch that included an intentional walk. ... Plate umpire Paul Emmel ejected Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee in the sixth after Dubee visited the mound following Daniel Murphy's two-out double. Murphy had taken a close pitch with two strikes.

Quarterback Daunte Culpepper retires from NFL

Daunte Culpepper summed up his thoughts Thursday in two words, which ushered in the start of a new era for the former Pro Bowl quarterback. "Farewell NFL," he wrote.

With that, a career once filled with such promise came to a most unceremonious end.

Culpepper, who starred for the Minnesota Vikings before a major knee injury in 2005 curtailed his career, announced his retirement in an e-mail Thursday morning, saying he's simply grown tired of fighting for one more opportunity.

The 31-year-old was the Vikings' first-round draft choice in 1999, became their full-time starter a year later, and teamed with Randy Moss to pile up yards and touchdowns at an impressive rate.

But he hurt his right knee in October 2005, never played for the Vikings again, and never seemed to return to his past level, either.

"When free agency began this year, I had a new sense of excitement about continuing to rebuild my career in the same way that I had rebuilt my knee after my catastrophic injury in 2005," Culpepper said. "Unfortunately, what I found out was that the league did not share any of the optimism about me as an unrestricted free agent that I expected. In fact, there was an overwhelming sense that there was no room for me among this year's group of quarterbacks."

The Miami Dolphins acquired him in 2006 in exchange for a second-round pick, but Culpepper played only four games before being shut down because of continued knee problems. He was sacked 21 times in those four games, and his brief stint with Miami had two compelling images:

• Getting sacked seven times in his first home game, where fans booed him by halftime.

• Walking off the field during minicamp in June 2007 because the Dolphins wouldn't let him play, and flanked by a team security official.

"Now that dream to get back on the field and prove everybody wrong is behind him," said Dolphins defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday, who talked to Culpepper about his ongoing comeback quest this summer. "It has to be tough. ... When he was healthy, he was definitely one of the best."

Last season, the Oakland Raiders took a shot on Culpepper, and he made five starts there, albeit only getting five touchdown passes in those games.

"The thing about Daunte was he was a fabulous competitor," Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said. "He competed as hard as anybody on our field and that's unusual for a quarterback."

And over the past few months, he tried to get any opportunity around the league, even saying just last week that he'd be willing to be Aaron Rodgers' backup in Green Bay.

There were no takers, and Culpepper saw no reason to keep waiting.

"Since I was not given a fair chance to come in and compete for a job, I would rather move on and win in other arenas of life," Culpepper said.

In Minnesota, Culpepper's decision was met with disappointment, even though he hadn't played there for years.

"Very surprising. Surprising that he hasn't gotten a job, too. Sad," Vikings safety Darren Sharper said. "Last year I didn't think he played bad in Oakland. I've seen quarterbacks that are still playing in this league today play a lot worse. ... And they still have jobs. So I don't know the reason for it."

Culpepper completed 64 percent of his passes in a nine-year career, with 142 touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder out of Central Florida was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and he was at his best in 2004, when he established career-highs in yards (4,717), touchdowns (39) and passing rating (110.9).

Then came the knee injury, and it all went downhill from there, even though Culpepper — who has served as his own agent and announced his retirement in an e-mail — believes he can still compete.

"No matter what I did or said, there seemed to be a unified message from teams that I was not welcome to compete for one of the many jobs that were available at the quarterback position," Culpepper said.

Culpepper said, without citing anyone by name, that he was told he'd get a chance with some teams this season when other quarterbacks got injured. Friends, family members and "league personnel" also advised him, Culpepper said, to continue waiting for a chance and postponing any decision on retirement.

"If he was anywhere close to 100 percent, it would seem teams would have to take a shot at him," Holliday said. "You look at the league and you see a lot of teams don't have that high-profile, quality quarterback."

Sometime in the past six days, though, Culpepper's mind was made up.

"I want to thank my family and my fans for their unwavering belief in me as a person and a player," Culpepper said. "I embraced both the peaks and the valleys of the game and my career. I am a better person today as a direct result of the experience of playing in the NFL. I can now focus on the enjoyment of watching some of the greatest athletes in the world play the game I love without the distraction of waiting for those elusive return phone calls."

___

AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell in Eden Prairie, Minn., and Steven Wine in Davie, Fla., contributed to this report.

LSU postpones game against Troy in wake of Gustav

LSU postponed its football game against Troy after Hurricane Gustav damaged Tiger Stadium and battered Louisiana's capital city far worse than anticipated.

The university made the decision Wednesday after having a full day to get a handle on damage to the stadium and the community, much of which is expected to be without power into next week.

"It's the right decision," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "Our guys are maybe a little more affected than the Katrina and Rita duo — more firsthand concerns, more power lines that they saw, more trees down that they saw and power outages affected us, affecting them than the last storm we had. They were a little ragged on Tuesday."

LSU players reported to their indoor practice field on Tuesday afternoon, first so coaches could make sure everyone was OK, then so they could have position meetings and practice in the hope that Saturday's game could be played as scheduled. A day later, it was obvious to LSU officials that was not going to happen.

"We would have loved to play the game, but it's not possible and the city of Baton Rouge is in too bad shape to take resources away to play a football game," LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said. "The welfare of the people of Baton Rouge, the uncertain power issues facing all of us and the condition of Tiger Stadium were all factors in making this decision."

The seventh-ranked Tigers' game against the Trojans will be played Nov. 15.

"We are fortunate that both schools had a common open date later in the year," Alleva said. "I am appreciative of the cooperation of the good people at Troy for their understanding of this situation."

Classes at LSU are canceled through the end of the week, with only part of campus on power generated by the school's emergency backup power plant.

LSU players practiced again Wednesday afternoon at their indoor facility, which also has backup power. Miles said they will continue to practice until Friday and then get the weekend off so those players whose families have damaged property in Louisiana can return home to help.

The most noticeable damage at Tiger Stadium were torn awnings that, along with their metal supports, were ripped off of an upper deck facades, crashing onto club seats below. Debris littered the stands and playing field soon after the storm had passed, though much of it had been cleaned up two days later.

Ronnie Haliburton, associate athletic director for facilities and grounds, said team benches that had been on the sidelines were lifted up and tossed into the lower rows of seats by wind that swirled around the stadium. Some seat backs also were broken apart, leaving sharp edges that could be a danger to fans if not replaced.

Haliburton said he would not know if the stadium lights or scoreboards were still working until regular power was restored. A generator was used to power meeting rooms below the stands behind one end zone.

"We don't know when power's going to come back on," Alleva said.

Troy athletic director Steve Dennis said his university was happy to accommodate the postponement.

"This is a football game, nothing more, and the people of Baton Rouge have more to worry about right now than a football game," Dennis said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Baton Rouge and LSU and we wish them nothing but the best as they work to overcome the effects of this storm."

Trees are down on campus and throughout Baton Rouge, some resting on the roofs of houses. Dangling and shredded power lines were also a common sight.

Normally, more than 100,000 fans flock to campus for LSU games, enjoying tailgate parties even if they cannot gain entrance to 91,600-seat Tiger Stadium, then filling area hotels.

LSU officials said there was no way the Baton Rouge area could accommodate such an event this weekend, but remained hopeful that a scheduled home game on Sept. 13 against North Texas would be played in Death Valley.

Haliburton said some damaged features in the stadium, such as the awnings, would be removed but not likely replaced right away. The goal is simply to make the stadium safe enough to pass a fire marshal's approval.

The eye of Gustav passed just west of Baton Rouge, battering the capital city with recorded gusts of 74 mph for hours. Damage appeared worse in Baton Rouge than in New Orleans, where the Saints remain scheduled to play their regular season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Hanna also is causing schedule changes this weekend. The Colgate-Coastal Carolina football game has been moved from Saturday night to Sunday at 1 p.m. in Conway, S.C.

Alleva said LSU officials briefly talked about asking Superdome officials if they could host LSU's game this Saturday, but because Troy and LSU shared the same open date, and because a number of residents across many parts of the state are still reeling from the storm, it made more sense to reschedule the game for Tiger Stadium later this fall.

Federer holds on to avoid major upset at US Open

His strokes awry, his emotions laid bare for all to see, Roger Federer figured out a way to stay in the U.S. Open.

Federer found himself locked in a five-set struggle against the sort of player the world is accustomed to seeing him dismiss with ease, and it was only down the stretch that the four-time defending champion at Flushing Meadows looked the part.

Avoiding as big an upset as tennis has seen in a while, Federer came back to beat 23rd-seeded Igor Andreev of Russia 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Tuesday night to reach the quarterfinals at the year's last Grand Slam tournament.

"Being down a set, and a tiebreak in the second set, obviously, you know, there's danger written all over that situation," Federer said. "You just hope that it's going to turn your way. It did."

When he finished the match with a forehand winner, Federer shook his fists violently and yelled, then flashed a grin toward his girlfriend and others in his guest box.

Hard to recall the last time this guy was so pleased by a mere fourth-round victory. Federer is, after all, a man who owns 12 Grand Slam titles, two shy of Pete Sampras' career mark. A man who has won 31 consecutive matches at the U.S. Open. A man who is trying to extend his record streak of 17 straight appearances in major semifinals.

And yet Federer couldn't stop smiling at the end of the 3 1/2-hour test, in part because, he explained, he found it fun to be pushed into a fifth set.

"I don't give myself the opportunity that much, you know, because I always win easily," he said. "I was just really pleased with my fighting spirit."

Novak Djokovic felt the same way about his five-setter on the same court earlier Tuesday. When Djokovic's 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory over No. 15 Tommy Robredo of Spain was over, the 2007 runner-up to Federer at the U.S. Open and the reigning Australian Open champion looked up in the stands and saw his mom pounding her chest repeatedly.

Djokovic responded in kind, bumping a closed fist over his heart four times, then using his right index finger to point there, point to each knee and point to his temple — looking up into the stands all the while.

"Just trying to show them, you know, how much effort I put into this match," Djokovic said.

He needed every ounce of heart, smarts and energy he could muster, and acknowledged that his quarterfinal foe — 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, who overpowered No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 at night — would be fitter.

"I've got to feel good," Roddick said, thinking ahead. "He's got about 16 injuries right now."

Djokovic was bothered at various points by his stomach, his hip, his right ankle and breathing problems.

"Somehow," the No. 3 Djokovic said, "I managed."

Because the Federer and Djokovic matches lasted so long, the women's quarterfinal between No. 2 Jelena Jankovic and No. 29 Sybille Bammer was moved from Arthur Ashe Stadium to Louis Armstrong Stadium. Jankovic won 6-1, 6-4, advancing to a semifinal against No. 5 Elena Dementieva, who beat No. 15 Patty Schnyder 6-2, 6-3.

Jankovic was happy about the court switch, she said, "because we would have to wait a long time for Federer to finish."

That surprised everyone, even if Federer's 12 losses already are more than he absorbed in any entire season from 2004-07. The standards he has set are so high that any misstep is fodder for questions about the state of his game — and his career.

Still, it's one thing to lose to Rafael Nadal, the man who walloped Federer in the French Open final and edged him in a five-set thriller of a Wimbledon final. Nadal owns five Grand Slam titles and has overtaken Federer in the rankings after the Swiss star's record 237-week stay at No. 1.

It would have been quite another thing to lose to Andreev, someone who showed up last week with a career mark of 2-3 at the U.S. Open, someone who only once made it to a major quarterfinal, someone who entered Tuesday on a seven-match losing streak against players ranked in the top five.

"For me, it was great experience," Andreev said, "and hopefully, like, in the future is going to help me."

He fell to 1-7 in five-set matches, and big-match toughness certainly was a factor at key stages.

That also could be the case when Federer plays 130th-ranked Gilles Muller in the quarterfinals Thursday. The only man from Luxembourg to play Grand Slam tennis knocked off No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10) to become only the second qualifier to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Muller noted that he's used to observing a major tournament's "second week, and especially quarterfinals, from home, I mean, on my sofa, watching on TV. Now I'm here, and I'm in it."

Asked about facing another player who doesn't carry any burden of expectations into a match against him, Federer shrugged and said: "It's been like this for 4 1/2 years. This is nothing different for me. It's just a guy who's got even less to lose."

Scurrying along the baseline to whip his go-for-it forehand and find a line, Andreev managed to make the once-invincible Federer seem human — not just during points, but between them.

Normally so calm, so collected, Federer often threw his head back in disappointment or screamed with delight. He pulled a ball out his pocket and chucked it. He cracked another ball into the net after one lost opportunity.

But in the second set, Andreev accumulated seven break points — and Federer saved them all. Any one of those could have swung the match for good. And in the crucible of the fifth set, Andreev compiled four more break points, all with Federer serving at 4-2 — and, again, Federer handled the situation better, erasing every one.

"Very important moment," Andreev acknowledged.

Another came in the second game of the fifth set, when Andreev managed to set aside two break points for Federer. On the third, though, Federer made a great return of a 119 mph serve, and Andreev eventually tried a drop shot.

Chugging forward, Federer not only got to the spinning ball, but somehow flicked a lob that curled like an upside-down "U" over the 6-foot-tall Andreev and landed right at the baseline. Andreev ran back and put his racket on the ball, but flung a backhand out. Federer pumped his fists, while Andreev smacked a ball into the stands, drawing a warning from the chair umpire.

"The moment of the night," Federer called it.

His serve was broken in the match's opening game, and then he blew a lead in the first tiebreaker. That set closed with a 13-stroke exchange that Federer ended by missing a forehand wide — already his 19th unforced error of the match, nearly twice as many as Andreev, so far.

There was more of the same, but in the end, Federer could rely on muscle memory from big matches in big settings that Andreev could not.

"Maybe for a while it was quite always the same for me — go on court, you win all the time," Federer said. "So maybe you don't take it for granted that much anymore."