US Open: Karolina Pliskova Topples Venus Williams, Stan Wawrinka Advances
Karolina Pliskova edged out two-time champion Venus Williams in a thrilling clash, while Stanislas Wawrinka, Juan Martin del Potro and Simona Halep all advanced into the quarters
Highlights
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Venus Williams has been knocked out of women's singles by Pliskova
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Stan Wawrinka and Juan Martin del Potro won their Round 4 matches
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Simona Halep also won her match to move into the quarters
Hard-hitting Czech Karolina Pliskova toppled two-time champion Venus Williams 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) on Monday to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open.
Pliskova, who had never before made it past the third round of a major, derailed seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams's bid to reach the last eight for the second straight year and scuppered a possible semi-final clash between Williams and her sister Serena.
Stan Wawrinka, meanwhile, reached the US Open quarter-finals for a fourth successive year with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Ukraine journeyman Illya Marchenko.
Third seed Wawrinka, a semi-finalist in 2013 and 2015, will take on 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro for a place in the last-four.
Del Potro, at 142 in the world, is the lowest ranked man in 25 years to reach the last eight.
The Argentine progressed when Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem retired from their last-16 tie with a knee injury. Del Potro was leading 6-3, 3-2 when Thiem quit.
"You never want to win a match like this. I wish Dominic a quick recovery as he has a great future," said 27-year-old del Potro.
It's not nice to win this way. Get well soon @ThiemDomi!! pic.twitter.com/QyDKFSFOFA
- Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) September 5, 2016
In another match, Simona Halep punched her ticket to the quarter-finals, where the fifth-ranked Romanian will likely find world number one Serena Williams waiting.
Halep, a former French Open finalist who has won three WTA titles in 2016, defeated Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5 -- edging ahead in a rivalry that had seen them split their previous 10 matches 5-5.
"I just gave everything I had," said Halep, who sailed through the first set and gained an early break in the second before Suarez put the brakes on.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Halep was broken, but she broke back immediately and made no mistake with her second chance.
"I'm really happy I could win this match," said Halep, who was already looking forward to a probably clash with Williams.
"The next round will be a very tough one, so I want to enjoy this victory today," she said.