Champion Iga Swiatek ousted from US Open in shock by nemesis Ostapenko
The 22-year-old Pole had not dropped a set on her strategy to the fourth spherical, however she had by no means crushed Ostapenko in three earlier profession conferences.
Swiatek took the primary set with relative ease however then Ostapenko’s sledgehammer of a forehand began discovering its mark to stage the match.
A one-sided last set noticed former French Open champion Ostapenko triumph 3-6 6-3 6-1. Swiatek’s defeat signifies that Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will take over as world No1 after the match.
Ostapenko will face Coco Gauff within the quarter-finals after {the teenager} ended the Grand Slam comeback of mother-of-two Caroline Wozniacki.
The 19-year-old got here from a break down within the first and third units to win each and full a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory.
Wozniacki’s return has been one of the stories of New York this year, having come out of retirement after greater than three years and two kids later.
The 33-year-old former world primary has appeared as if she has by no means been away, however a fired-up Gauff proved simply too sturdy within the deciding set.
Wozniacki acquired off to a dream begin with a break within the first recreation and a 2-0 lead. But Gauff rapidly acquired again on the board, levelling at 3-3 earlier than happening to clinch the primary set with out dropping one other recreation.
Wozniacki cranked up the strain within the second and Gauff began feeling it as her suspect forehand started to misfire and she or he was damaged for 5-3 because the Dane levelled the match.
Gauff appeared uncomfortable as she dropped serve once more at first of the decider, however after pointedly ignoring the recommendation of coach Brad Gilbert, the wound-up American started firing backhand winners as in the event that they have been going out of style.
She reeled off the following six video games to clinch the victory and set free a loud scream of triumph after changing match level.
“Definitely getting it to 2-1 (in the third set) was the turning point,” stated Gauff. “I got broke and I showed I was still in the match. I started to go for my shots.
“Caroline, it is like she’s by no means left, the extent she performed was superb. It’s bizarre as a result of I grew up watching Caroline and when she gained the Australian Open, so to be on courtroom along with her in the present day was an honour.
“She definitely gets to a lot of balls. I felt a bit like I was playing myself. I knew I had to play aggressive and go for my shots. In some moments I miss but I was happy I could get back and refocus.”
It would be the fifth Grand Slam quarter-final of Gauff’s still-fledgling profession and her second at Flushing Meadows.
“I’ve been in this position before,” she added. “And I think I have confidence in myself that I can go even further.”