SAM Stosur ended the giant-killing run of Melbourne-born Briton Laura Robson to edge into the quarter-finals of the US Open, but need nine match points to dispatch the teenager.
And on a day of upsets, Stosur's potential path to the final has been cleared by the shock loss of Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova as Maria Sharapova scraped into the last eight.
Kvitova was dismantled 1-6 6-2 6-0 by 11th seed Marion Bartoli before French Open champion Sharapova survived a tough battle against fellow Russian Nadia Petrova.
US OPEN SCORES
A rain delay helped Sharapova recover from 0-2 down in the third set before prevailing 6-1 4-6 6-4 and setting up a quarter-final showdown with Bartoli.
Stosur, the defending champion, will next face world No.1 and nemesis Victoria Azarenka after surging past Robson with a 6-4 6-4 win, but only after getting a serious case of the jitters.
Azarenka thumped Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-2 6-2. The Belarussian holds an intimidating 6-0 record against Stosur.
"I have not done well against her in the past," Stosur said.
Sam Stosur will need to be at her very best to defeat top seed Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-finals. Source: Getty Images
"I'll look forward to that opportunity again. Quarter-finals of another slam, you've got to give it everything you've got."
Azarenka, who crushed Georgia's Anna Tatishvili to reach her first quarter-final at Flushing Meadows, is giving Stosur due respect.
"She's very dangerous,'' the top seed said.
"What she did here last year was absolutely amazing. It's definitely going to be a very difficult match.
"As defending champion, she's going to be really motivated. I'm motivated as well."
Seventh seed Stosur is yet to drop a set in four matches and, once again, her serve was monstrous.
Wary of Robson after the Londoner eliminated Kim Clijsters and Li Na, Stosur rarely erred.
Robson made the early running, breaking with a searing backhand to lead 2-1 but the teenager immediately squandered the gain with a double fault and a couple of sloppy groundstrokes to allow Stosur to level.
British teenager Laura Robson attacked Sam Stosur at every opportunity during their fourth-round clash. Source: Getty Images
Robson continued create plenty of opportunities on Stosur's serve in the second set, but was unable to convert.
And when Stosur preyed on Robson's impatience in the fourth game, the Gold Coaster swept clear.
But the Australian was impressively stalled by Robson at 2-5 where the youngster saved five match points.
She saved two more on Stosur's serve in the following game before breaking serve as tensions rose.
Robson saved another in the following game as she served at 4-5, only to err a point later.
Stosur said her tough battle with Robson was a great dress rehearsal for her clash with Azarenka.
"A bunch of the girls play like that nowadays. It's one of these game styles you have to get used to," the Queenslander said.
"If you're going to win tournaments like this, you're going to have to play against someone who plays that way.
"Laura tried to attack, stay at the baseline, and especially at the start was really going for it.
"It was a really good match and definitely one that I maybe needed going to the quarters."
- with AAP
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario