Radwanska downs Pavlyuchenkova to reach last 16

By Julian Linden NEW YORK (Reuters) - The ultra-consistent Agnieszka Radwanska wore down Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 7-6 (1) on Friday to reach the fourth round at the U.S. Open, continuing her impressive streak at this year's grand slams. The third seeded Radwanksa survived some anxious moments against Pavlyuchenkova before sealing victory in 73 minutes. She will play Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in the round of 16. "It was tough, two tight sets. Actually the first one, and the second one, it was just by a couple points," Radwanska said. "I played very good in the tiebreak. I was really focused from the beginning, and I just wanted to win the tiebreaker very much." If she wins her next match, the Pole will become the only woman to reach the quarter-finals at all four grand slams this year. The U.S. Open is the only grand slam that Radwanksa has failed to reach the quarters and this will be her fourth appearance in the fourth round in eight appearances at Flushing Meadows. "Well, of course I will do everything to make the quarter-final this year," she said. "I like the hard court and I really had great results on that surface. I think it's just something wrong here that I can't pass the fourth round. "This is another opportunity, so I will try my best." Unlike a lot of the other top-ranked woman in the world, Radwanska is not a power player so has had to mix up her game and employ different strategies to counter her stronger opponents. Like her childhood idol Martina Hingis, the 24-year-old used a lot of lobs and drop shots and changes of pace to bamboozle her rivals. "We don't have powerful games or anything like that," Radwanska said. "Just mixing everything up always trying to find a way to win the point but not really bombing like others." (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)