<p> Maria Sharapova reached the US Open quarter-finals for the first time since her 2006 championship run with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Russian compatriot Nadia Petrova.<br /><br /></p>.<p>And defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia set up a last-eight showdown with top seed Victoria Azarenka as both captured fourth-round triumphs yesterday on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts at the year's last Grand Slam tournament.<br /><br />Third seed Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam by capturing the French Open title last June, rallied after twice dropping four games in a row and having to sit through a 73-minute rain delay.<br /><br />"I'm so happy to be in the quarters," Sharapova said. "It has been so many years and it's a great stage to be at."<br /><br />Seventh seed Stosur squandered eight match points but finally subdued stubborn British teen prodigy Laura Robson 6-4, 6-4 in 98 minutes.<br /><br />She advanced to a quarter-final against an opponent she has never defeated, World No. 1 Azarenka of Belarus, who ousted Georgia's Anna Tatishvili 6-2, 6-2, to reach her first US Open quarter-final.<br /><br />"As defending champion she's going to be really motivated. I'm motivated as well," Azarenka said. "It's my first quarter-final at the US Open and I'm really looking forward to it."<br />Sharapova will next face French 11th seed Marion Bartoli, who beat Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon winner, 1-6, 6-2, 6-0, to book her first trip to the US Open quarter-finals at her 11th attempt.</p>
<p> Maria Sharapova reached the US Open quarter-finals for the first time since her 2006 championship run with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Russian compatriot Nadia Petrova.<br /><br /></p>.<p>And defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia set up a last-eight showdown with top seed Victoria Azarenka as both captured fourth-round triumphs yesterday on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts at the year's last Grand Slam tournament.<br /><br />Third seed Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam by capturing the French Open title last June, rallied after twice dropping four games in a row and having to sit through a 73-minute rain delay.<br /><br />"I'm so happy to be in the quarters," Sharapova said. "It has been so many years and it's a great stage to be at."<br /><br />Seventh seed Stosur squandered eight match points but finally subdued stubborn British teen prodigy Laura Robson 6-4, 6-4 in 98 minutes.<br /><br />She advanced to a quarter-final against an opponent she has never defeated, World No. 1 Azarenka of Belarus, who ousted Georgia's Anna Tatishvili 6-2, 6-2, to reach her first US Open quarter-final.<br /><br />"As defending champion she's going to be really motivated. I'm motivated as well," Azarenka said. "It's my first quarter-final at the US Open and I'm really looking forward to it."<br />Sharapova will next face French 11th seed Marion Bartoli, who beat Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon winner, 1-6, 6-2, 6-0, to book her first trip to the US Open quarter-finals at her 11th attempt.</p>