Second seed Dominic Thiem moved into the quarter-finals of the US Open with a comfortable win over Canada’s 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“I was really nervous before as I knew I was going to play against an amazing opponent, an up-and-coming superstar,” said the 27-year-old Austrian.

“I started to have a great feeling in the second and third set.”

Thiem, third in the world, is the highest-ranked player left in the men’s singles after world number one Novak Djokovic was disqualified when he accidentally hit a tennis ball at a line judge during his match against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday.

None of the players left in the men’s event have won a Grand Slam, although Thiem has lost in three finals – at the French Open in 2018 and 2019 and the Australian Open earlier this year.

Asked if Djokovic’s disqualification put him under more pressure, Thiem, who won the third set in only 26 minutes, told Amazon Prime Video: “It doesn’t. I really focus on myself and look match to match.

“For myself and the other players, it doesn’t matter if the big three [Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal] are still here or not, everyone just wants their hands on this trophy and it doesn’t matter who you have to beat.

“I’m probably one of the oldest players left, which is surreal.”

Thiem will face 21-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur after the 21st seed beat Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-2.

Russian 10th seed Andrey Rublev came from a set down to beat Italy’s sixth seed Matteo Berrettini 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3.

The 22-year-old, who also reached the US Open quarter-finals in 2017, will face either compatriot and third seed Daniil Medvedev or American world number 82 Frances Tiafoe in the last eight.