NEW YORK (AP) - Title contenders Roger Federer and Novak Djokovicwon Friday to reach the third round of the U.S. Open, while the bigupset of the day was again reserved for the women’s draw.

Federer, in his first grand-slam tournament since being dethronedfrom his long-held No. 1 ranking, swept past Brazil’s Thiago Alves6-3, 7-5, 6-4, while Djokovic had to work a touch harder indispatching American Robert Kendrick 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4.

The major casualty of the day was women’s No. 3 seed and formerchampion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-3 bySlovenian No. 28 seed Katarina Srebotnik.

Federer is down to his last chance to win a major this year, partof a tough season that saw him lose his No. 1 ranking to RafaelNadal.

Though they well could meet in this final, Federer has nottracked his nemesis through the tournament and didn’t watch Nadalwrap up his match Thursday night in straight sets.

"I schedule my life around my life, not his," Federer said,smiling. "I was expecting five sets. I was there for four and five,but he wasn’t there anymore."

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Russian fifth-seed Nikolay Davydenkobeat Argentine Agustin Calleri 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (2) and eighth-seededScot Andy Murray rallied from a set and a break down to beat LatvianErnests Gulbis 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-5 in a match that finished at 1.30amlocal time.

All the men’s seeds in action Friday won, leaving the women’sthird-round matches to provide the intrigue.

Victoria Azarenka, the No.14 seed from Belarus, was beaten 6-4,6-4 by in-form Danish No.21 Caroline Wozniacki, while veteranAmerican Linday Davenport, seeded 23, was also beaten by FrenchNo.12 Marion Bartoli, 6-1, 7-6 (3).

A day after No. 1 Ana Ivanovic lost to 188th-ranked Julie Coin,Kutznetsova became the latest title fancy to be knocked out.

Kuznetsova, who won the Open in 2004 and was runner-up last year,had trouble fending off Srebotnik’s frequent charges to the net.

Srebotnik fell to her knees when Kuznetsova’s last shot sailedover the baseline. After beating Serena Williams in the French Openthis year, the 28th-ranked Slovene had another reason to celebrate,having gone farther than ever before at Flushing Meadows.

Second-seeded Jelena Jankovic won another close one, playing 28points in the last game to finish off China’s Zheng Jie 7-5, 7-5.

Jankovic came out full of energy, showing no ill effects of a badleft leg that cramped after she played Wednesday and even dispayingher trademark ‘splits’ when reaching for groundstrokes.

"As long as I’m doing the splits, that means I’m healthy,"Jankovic said. "When I’m not doing the splits, you know there’ssomething wrong."

"I’m not too sure about my body if I go into a split, who knowsif I’ll come back up?" she said.

Jankovic is trying to reach her first grand slam final. WithJustine Henin retired, Maria Sharapova hurt, Ivanovic out and theWilliams sisters in the opposite half of the draw, this seems to beher best chance.

She needed more than two hours to beat the 37th-ranked Zheng, twodays after playing for nearly three hours in the second round.

"I wish I didn’t have any drama in my matches. I wish I wouldwin nice and in a simple way," she said. "Who likes drama? Do youknow anybody that likes to get involved into tight matches?"

Jankovic is one of six women who still have a chance to be rankedNo. 1 after the Open, with Ivanovic among them despite her loss.

Russian No. 5 seed Elena Dementieva beat England’s AnneKeothavong 6-3, 6-4.