Kuznetsova, Murray exit
Monfils cruises into quarterfinals; Stosur overcomes Dementieva
Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was knocked out of the US Open in the fourth round on Monday, beaten 7-5, 7-6 by unseeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova.
Eleventh seed Kuznetsova, champion in New York in 2004 and runner-up in 2007, led by a break of serve in both sets but lost her way with 42 unforced errors as Cilbulova reached the US Open quarterfinals for the first time.
Kuznetsova led 4-2 in the first set but world number 45 Cibulkova hit back to win it and then recovered from 3-1 down to lead 5-3 in the second. Two match points came and went as she was broken when serving for the match at 5-4, but she held her nerve to win the tie-break 7-4 to clinch victory.
Later, Gael Monfils of France outclasses compatriot Richard Gasquet 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 to enter men’s quarterfinals.
A double fault gave Monfils a quick break for a 3-1 lead. Realising he wasn't going to win baseline points, Gasquet tested the waters by coming in to the net. Although he was successful, it was too late for him to gain control of the set, and Monfils closed it out at 6-4.
With Gasquet serving at 5-5 in the second set, Monfils held a 40-15 advantage before Gasquet took it to deuce. On break point, Gasquet looked to be in control when he hit an angled crosscourt forehand that sent Monfils back into the corner, but a screaming forehand passing shot found the court and gave the fired-up Monfils the break. An easy hold on his own serve gave him a two-set lead.
In the third set, Gasquet led 3-2, 40-30 on Monfils’ serve. Three games later, Monfils broke back with an inside-out forehand return down the line to get back on serve and even it at 5-5. The No 17 seed earned yet another break for a 6-5 edge, as Gasquet committed unforced errors, and an ace from Monfils closed the match.
Andy Murray hobbled out of the US Open on Sunday, beaten 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the third round by Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka after his ailing body and his mind failed him when he needed it most.
Struggling to run at full speed after requiring treatment to his legs, elbow and neck, the Briton appeared powerless to stop Wawrinka, who was battling his own injury problems but still played superbly, from pulling off the biggest upset of the championship.
“I was struggling physically and I got frustrated with that,” Murray said. “Maybe I felt like my chance of doing well here was slipping away. I've worked very hard to give myself a chance of winning tournaments. It happens to everyone in life at different points.”
Murray's limp departure was in stark contrast to an incredible fightback from Australia's Samantha Stosur, who saved four match points to beat Elena Dementieva 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 in a nail-biting centre court match that did not end until 1.35 am (0535GMT), the latest finish for a women's match at the Open.
World number one Rafael Nadal, playing before Murray's defeat, sent an ominous warning to his rivals about his plans to complete his collection of Grand Slam titles in New York.
The Spaniard, getting better with each match on the back of a new and improved serve, overpowered France's Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to steam into the fourth round without dropping a single service game in three matches.
Italy's Francesca Schiavone, brimming with confidence after she beat Stosur in the final at Paris to capture her maiden Grand Slam title, also cruised through to the last eight, beating Russia's Anastasia Pavly-uchenkova 6-3, 6-0.
Schiavone will play Williams in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
Paes-Black through
In mixed doubles action, second-seeded Leander Paes of India and his Zimbabwean partner Cara Black cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi and Robert Lindstedt of Sweden, who had shocked fourth-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Daniela Hantuchova in the previous round. They next play Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Mark Knowles of Bahamas for a place in the last four.
