Top seed Roger Federer made hard work of his US Open clash against Lleyton Hewitt but prevailed in four sets.

The five-time champion renewed his long-serving rivalry against the tenacious Australian with a battling 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 victory and awaits the winner of the night match between James Blake and Tommy Robredo.

Federer, who had amassed a 13-match winning streak over Hewitt going into Saturday’s third round, was installed as the red-hot favourite and the predictions looked accurate when the Swiss broke in game seven.

But the 28-year-old world number one suffered a bout of wayward groundstokes out on the Arthur Ashe court and Hewitt capitalised by snatching the first set.

The Australian was playing some vintage tennis going into the second set, but it was soon Hewitt’s turn to become frustrated as chances to break Federer’s serve went amiss.

And the 2001 US Open champion was made to pay as the top seed burst into life in the fourth game before racing through to claim the 30 minute set.

An evenly challenged third set followed, but Federer broke through Hewitt’s defences in the 11th game to grab a stranglehold on the match.

The reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion raced through the gears claiming a quick-fire double break in the fourth set and Federer powered his way into the fourth round despite a late resurgence from his opponent.

World No. 1 Roger Federer beats Briton in three staraight sets in 1 hour and 28 minutes. He showed his class and beat him by 6-1, 6-3, 7-5.  He was never broken during the match.

Federer 7 Britton 5: Britton and Federer stick with each other all the way, to deuce to advantage and back again. Then as Federer edges in front, Britton serves into the net once more, his second serve goes over, but the champion’s exquisite forehand is just too much for the teenager. Roger Federer wins by three sets to love.