Reuters
New York, Sept 6: Britain’s Johanna Konta continued to enjoy her time in the sun and the US Open spotlight as she stopped 18th seed Andrea Petkovic 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 Saturday to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
It was the second upset in as many matches for the 24-year-old qualifier who toiled for three hours and 23 minutes in searing heat Thursday to dispatch eighth seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.
The sun returned on Saturday but again it was Konta’s opponent feeling the heat, with Petkovic calling a medical timeout after going down a set and 3-0 in the second and wrapped in ice towels before finishing out the match.
“To be honest, I feel just as I did two weeks ago, I haven’t exactly grown wings or anything,” said Konta, ranked No. 97.
Next up for Konta will be fifth seeded Czech Petra Kvitova, who had no problem with the heat or her opponent, the twice Wimbledon champion needing just 66 minutes to breeze past Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1.
Second seeded Simona Halep worked the night shift for the first time at the US Open and found it to her liking as she steamed past American qualifier Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-3.
Samantha Stosur the 2011 champion battled past Italy’s Sara Errani 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. She next faces another Italian, 26th seed Flavia Pennetta, a 2013 semi-finalist, who put out world number 149 Petra Cetkovska 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
It was a mixed day for German contenders as Victoria Azarenka of Belarus beat 11th seed Angelique Kerber 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, though Sabine Lisicki advanced beating Czech Barbora Strycova 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Results
Johanna Konta bt Andrea Petkovic 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
Petra Kvitova bt Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1
Simona Halep bt Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-3
Victoria Azarenka bt Angelique Kerber 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
Sabine Lisicki bt Barbora Strycova 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Samantha Stosur bt Sara Errani 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
Flavia Pennetta bt Petra Cetkovska 1-6, 6-1, 6-4