Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark beat two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia at the U.S. Open to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The No. 9-seeded Wozniacki of Denmark beat No. 6 Kuznetsova 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3). Wozniacki’s net opponent is also making her debut at this stage: American Melanie Oudin, who is ranked 70th and beat No. 13 Nadia Petrova in three sets.
At 19, Wozniacki is the youngest woman ranked in the top 20. She also leads the tour in victories this season.
ADVERTISEMENT
Against Kuznetsova, who won the 2004 U.S. Open and this year’s French Open, Wozniacki managed to win despite hitting only 16 winners.
Kuznetsova produced 59 winners, but she also made 63 unforced errors - 38 more than Wozniacki.
“I just hit too many unforced errors, and I could not control my emotions,” Kuznetsova said. “And I wanted it so much.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Wozniacki had just finished her match when she was asked the inevitable question: What will it be like to play 17-year-old Oudin at the American Grand Slam tournament?
“Hopefully,” Wozniacki said, “someone from the crowd will cheer for me.
“She’s had an amazing run,” Wozniacki said about Oudin.
Asked how she thinks Wozniacki might fare against Oudin, Kuznetsova replied: “I don’t know. I don’t really care.”
All four of the players left on their half of the draw will be playing in the round of eight at a Grand Slam event for the first time. The others are 50th-ranked Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium and 52nd-ranked Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine.