Sturdy Sharapova advances to US Open fourth round

Maria Sharapova is through to the final 16 of the US Open for a second straight year after a 6-3 6-2 victory over No.10 seed Jelena Ostapenko.

Taking 82 minutes to progress, Sharapova avoided a repeat of the epic encounter that unfolded in her last meeting with Ostapenko in the Rome quarterfinals, which spanned three hours and 11 minutes before the Russian claimed a 6-7(6) 6-4 7-5 win.

While a 12-minute opening game – in which Ostapenko saved five break points – hinted at a similar thriller at the US Open, the experienced Sharapova maintained consistency in the face of the Latvian’s famous but often erratic aggression.

While they recorded a similar number of winners – Sharapova’s 11 just one more than Ostapenko’s 10 – the Russian was far more efficient when it mattered, recording only 18 unforced errors to her opponent’s 41.

“I knew that I needed to have a better performance than my previous round,” said Sharapova, also a straight sets winner over Patty Schnyder and Sorana Cirstea this week.

“I did just enough to win that previous match. I finished off strong.”

New York City. Under the ????‘s!!! #USOpen Round 4!!! pic.twitter.com/njs2G55XSI

— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) September 2, 2018

Improving her record under Flushing Meadows floodlights to 22-0, Sharapova noted how she thrives off the energy of the New York crowd.

“I love the atmosphere. I love that they know how to cheer hard. Some of the loudest crowds I think was when I played (Kim) Clijsters on 2005. I lost that match, but I remember just coming back and feeling the support from the crowd,” said Sharapova, who claimed one of her five Grand Slam titles at the US Open the following year.

“I didn’t play my best tennis, but that was, like, one of the matches in my career where I felt how the fans really lifted my level up. I thrive on playing under the lights for some reason. I love that. I love that challenge.”

Sharapova now faces No.30 seed Carla Suarez Navarro for a chance to progress to her second Grand Slam quarterfinal this year, matching the result she achieved at Roland Garros.

Suarez Navarro advanced with an upset of No.6 seed Caroline Garcia, defeating the Frenchwoman 5-7 6-4 7-6(4).

Kvitova joins Kerber in casualty list

A tough day for the seeds continued at the US Open as in-form Aryna Sabalenka defeated No.5 seed Petra Kvitova 7-5 6-1.

Earlier, Dominika Cibukova eliminated Wimbledon champion and No.4 seed Angelique Kerber in three sets.

RELATED: Angelique Kerber suffers shock US Open defeat

With Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep – respective winners of the Australian and French Opens – each eliminated earlier in the week, none of the previous 2018 Grand Slam women’s champions remain in the draw.

Kvitova proved no match for the fast-rising Sabalenka, with the 20-year-old dropping just a single point on serve in the 26-minute second set.

.@SabalenkaA's run continues!

Stuns Petra Kvitova 7-5, 6-1 at the @usopen —> https://t.co/HP9DTfJbHO pic.twitter.com/Ww0Xe8u2P2

— WTA (@WTA) September 2, 2018

“I’m just so happy with my game at the moment,” said the Belarusian, whose first run to the fourth round of a Grand Slam follows her first title in New Haven last week.

“Actually, before every match, I’m a little bit nervous. But when I come on the court, I see these people that support me, let’s say. I enjoy it. I enjoy the game. I didn’t have any pressure. Well, I’m just playing every point.”