NEW YORK, Sept 1: Third seed Novak Djokovic survived an epic five-set encounter against Czech Radek Stepanek, fighting off exhaustion and crippling cramps to reach the third round of the US Open Friday.

“I am totally exhausted. I have no energy,” the 20-year-old Djokovic told the crowd after the 6-7, 7-6, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 triumph that lasted four hours 44 minutes on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Both players needed rubdowns to relieve the leg cramps that threatened to end the match at any moment. When Djokovic won the final tiebreaker 7-2 he fell to the court in a mixture of fatigue and jubilation.

There were no major upsets at the National Tennis Center although former champions Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt were both sent packing.

Hewitt, the 2001 champion and 16th seed, was beaten by Argentine Agustin Calleri 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 while Russia’s Safin, winner in 2000, was upended in three sets by Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.

Number two seed Rafael Nadal showed no effects from a nagging knee injury, breezing by Janko Tipsarevic, 6-2, 6-3, 3-2 when the Serbian retired with a rib injury.

On the women’s side, top seed Belgian Justine Henin needed just 50 minutes to crush 6-0, 6-2 Russian qualifier Ekaterina Makarova, while No 3 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia weathered a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 third-round challenge from 17-year-old Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.

Twice champion and eighth seed Serena Williams also worked harder than expected, defeating Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-6 during two hours of spotty play on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Williams’ sister, Venus, fared much better, beating Ukranian Alona Bondarenko, 6-1, 6-2 in less than hour, boosted by a 30-5 advantage in winners.

Fifth seed Ana Ivanovic had little trouble with Russian Vera Dushevina, winning the third-round match 6-1, 6-3 to set up a round of 16 clash with Venus Williams.

While many of the top seeds had to work harder than expected, the buzz around Flushing Meadows was about the Djokovic match. Huge crowds unable to enter the sold-out stadium watched the affair on large television screens.

Inside the stadium, the standing-room-only crowd cheered wildly on every point.

“We had an unbelievable fight, a remarkable match,” said Djokovic, a 20-year-old Serb who will face Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in the fourth round.

“We should both be proud. Of course, it’s always good to be the winner of such a five setter.”

Friday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles:

Second round: 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) 6-2, 6-3, 3-2 – Tipsarevic retired; Agustin Calleri (Argentina) beat 16-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) beat Tim Henman (Britain) 7-6 (7-2), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4; 15-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Florent Serra (France) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2; 24-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-4, 6-4 6-2; 23-Juan Monaco (Argentina) beat Dudi Sela (Israel) 6-4, 6-0, 6-7 (1-7), 6-4; Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 11-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; 8-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Mardy Fish (US) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-4; Robby Ginepri (US) beat Teimuraz Gabashvili (Russia) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1; 3-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2); 12-Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) beat Andrei Pavel (Romania) 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6); 17-Carlos Moya (Spain) beat Igor Kunitsyn (Russia) 6-4, 6-4, 7-5; Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat 25-Marat Safin (Russia) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) beat Michael Berrer (Germany) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-1; 20-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Wayne Odesnik (US) 6-3, 6-1, 7-5; Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat 31-Juergen Melzer (Austria) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.

Women’s singles:

Third round: 12-Venus Williams (US) beat 21-Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) 6-1, 6-2; 3-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) beat Alize Cornet (France) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; 8-Serena Williams (US) beat 27-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); 5-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-1, 6-3; 19-Sybille Bammer (Austria) beat 14-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 6-1, 6-2; 10-Marion Bartoli (France) beat 20-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; 15-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat Ahsha Rolle (US) 6-4, 6-3; 1-Justine Henin (Belgium) beat Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 6-0, 6-2.—Reuters