Maria Sharapova’s fairy march in the US Open has been derailed by Anastasija Sevastova, who beat her on Sunday in three sets 5-7 6-4 6-2 , to make a quarter-final berth.
Latvian Sevastova had rallied from one set down to make her second successive US Open quarter-final, dismissing Sharapova, who was the 2006 champion.
Sharapova had battled into her first Grand Slam fourth round after 19 months away, surprising World No.2 Simona Halep in one of the best matches of the tournament and moving further by beating Timea Babos and Russian-American teenager Sofia Kenin on Friday night.
As reported by wtatennis.com, Sharapova appeared in control from the outset, particularly off the forehand side, as she edged ahead 4-1 with points for 5-2 to start the match.
Sevastova kept things close from there, and though she ultimately lost the opening set, broke early in the second and took that momentum into the third, where she served out the win on her third match point.
Spending two hours and 16 minutes on court, Sevastova struck 21 winners to just 14 unforced errors throughout, playing expert defence and mixing up the play well against Sharapova, who hit 42 winners to 51 errors – 18 of which came in the deciding set.
Up next for the Latvian veteran will be American Sloane Stephens, who survived Germany’s Julia Goerges in three sets out on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Stephens is into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, and first ever at the US Open.
