Alcaraz grinds, Krejcikova breezes into US Open quarters, Kerber stunned

Update 1: Adds info on Krejcikova match, changes headline

New York, US, Sep 5 (EFE).- Spain’s No. 55-seed Carlos Alcaraz picked up a five set 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 win Sunday against 141st-ranked German Peter Gojowczyk to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.

The 18-year-old Alcaraz, who upset World No. 3 Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in another five set match in the third round, did not play his best tennis but found a way in the end to win against qualifier Gojowczyk.

Alcaraz, who made his Grand Slam debut earlier this year with the Australian Open, ended the three-hour, 31-minute match with 35 winners to 45 unforced errors, in addition to hitting seven aces and committing four double faults, while Gojowczyk hit 30 winners but made 84 unforced errors, including 12 double faults, the maximum in the tournament so far.

In the quarterfinals, Alcaraz will face the winner of the match on Sunday night between American Frances Tiafoe and 12th-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

In other men’s singles matches, second-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev easily defeated British 24th seed Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-4 and 6-3, to reach his third consecutive US Open quarterfinals while 11th-seeded Argentinian Diego Schwartzman lost to Dutch qualifier Botis van de Zandschulp in five sets, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5- 7 and 6-1.

Botis van de Zandschulp will face Medvedev in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Canadian Leylah Fernandez continued her triumphant run at the tournament with a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win against defending champion, Germany’s Angelique Kerber, to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time.

With courage and astuteness, and the poise of a veteran in the face of a deficit against an opponent with a longer professional career, 18-year-old Fernandez ended up stunning the 2016 US Open champion in two hours and 15 minutes and proving that her victory over another defending champion Naomi Osaka was no fluke.

“At the end it, was just two, three points which decide the match,” said Kerber, who was playing her 14th US Open. “She took it in her hands.”

“She’s always (…) enjoying her tennis out there,” she added. “I think she can go really far in the next few years.”

Fernandez, who only once had been as far as the third round at a major tournament until now, will face No. 5 seed Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who cruised past Romanian 12th seed Simona Halep, 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon champion, 6-3, 6-3.

“That’s going to be a very tough match. She’s a fighter,” said Fernandez said of her upcoming quarterfinals match. “I’m just going to go out on court and have fun.”

In other women’s singles matches, 8th seed Czech Barbora Krejcikova, who is making her debut at the US Open, defeated 9th seed Spaniard Garbiñe Muguruza 6-3, 7-6 (4) in one hour and 53 minutes to move into the quarterfinals.

Krejcikova, the reigning Roland Garros champion, is now 2-1 in head-to head matchups with Muguruza.

Krejcikova won the first three games to take a 3-0 lead in the first set before Muguruza tied the score at 3-3.

The Czech then went on to win the next three games to clinch the set.

The second set went into a tiebreaker, which the Czech won 7-4 to seal her quarterfinals berth.

Although 27-year-old Muguruza, who played her 9th US Open, came close to reaching the quarterfinals for the first time, some erratic play and decisive unforced errors led to her elimination.

Krejcikova’s opponent in the quarterfinals will be No.2 seed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who easily beat 15th seed Belgian Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-1. EFE