NEW YORK:
Maria Sharapova crashed out of the US Open on Sunday while 17-year-old Belinda Bencic became the youngest women's quarter-finalist since 1997, giving Switzerland a double boost after Roger Federer had moved into the last-16.
Sharapova's defeat at the hands of fellow former world number one Caroline Wozniacki meant that only three of the top 10 seeds in the women's draw were left standing after Bencic had taken care of ninth-ranked Jelena Jankovic.
On a day of shocks at the US Open, China's Peng Shuai reached her first singles quarter-final at a major by beating experienced Czech Lucie Safarova while in the men's draw, fourth-seed David Ferrer was defeated by Gilles Simon of France.
Sharapova, looking to add this year's US Open title to her French Open win in June, was undone by 43 unforced errors and eight double faults as 10th seed Wozniacki won 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
She will next face 13th-seeded Italian Sara Errani who ended the magical run of 32-year-old Croatian qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-3, 2-6, 6-0.
"It means so much to me," said 2009 runner-up Wozniacki, who reached the semi-finals in 2010 and 2011 but hadn't been past the third round at Flushing Meadows the last two years.
"It's been a bit up and down for me this season. To win today [Sunday] against a champion like her [Sharapova] is an unbelievable feeling."
Bencic, 17 and ranked 58th, dismissed former world number one Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 to become the youngest US Open quarter-finalist since Martina Hingis won the title in 1997 at the age of 16.
She will now face China's Peng who clinched a 6-3, 6-4 win over 14th-seeded Safarova.
Federer rallies from a set down
Second-seeded Federer, the champion between 2004-2008, came back from a set down to defeat Spain's Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 by racing away with 20 of the last 24 games of the match.
"It was a good match and I managed to turn it around as Granollers was on fire at the start," said Federer.
Federer will face Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the quarter-finals after the 26-year-old Spaniard beat France's Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.
Gilles Simon sent Spanish fourth seed Ferrer crashing to his earliest US Open defeat in five years with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 third-round win and goes on to face Marin Cilic of Croatia, who beat South Africa's Kevin Anderson 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, for a place in the quarter-finals.
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2012, beat Georgian-born Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and next plays Dominic Thiem of Austria, the youngest player in the top 50 at just 20.
Gael Monfils celebrated his 28th birthday a day early by sweeping past French Davis Cup teammate Richard Gasquet, the 12th seed, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and will next face Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2014.
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