British teenager Emma Raducanu has continued her dream run at the US Open, overwhelming American Shelby Rogers 6-2 6-1 to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Emma Raducanu after winning through to the quarterfinals of the US Open. Photo: AFP
Going through qualifying to get to the last eight at a major is a stunning accomplishment by itself, but the 18-year-old has done it without dropping a set.
Raducanu, who burst onto the scene this year by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in her first Grand Slam appearance, has gone one better at the US Open in dominant fashion.
After a 6-0 6-1 hammering of Sara Sorribes Tormo in the third round Raducanu was nearly as ruthless against Rogers, dispatching the last American in the women's draw in 66 minutes.
"It feels absolutely amazing to play in front of all of you and Shelby is a great opponent... she's had a great week so I knew it was going to be a tough match," Raducanu said on a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium buzzing over what they had witnessed.
Up next for the youngster is Swiss 11th seed and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, who advanced with a 7-6(12) 6-3 win over Polish 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek.
"Belinda's a great player who's in great form so I know I'm going to have to bring it on Wednesday."
Lloyd Harris reacts after beating American Reilly Opelka in the fourth round. Photo: AFP
Unseeded South African Lloyd Harris has stormed into his first Grand Slam quarter-final with a crushing 6-7(6) 6-4 6-1 6-3 victory over American Reilly Opelka.
The 24-year-old Harris, whose previous best performance at a major was his run to the third round of the Australian Open earlier this year, will next face fourth seed Alexander Zverev for a place in the semi-finals.
Harris, who dispatched seventh seed Denis Shapovalov in straight sets in the previous round, won an incredible 92 percent of his first-serve points, smashing 36 aces and 62 winners.
Zverev earlier eased past Jannik Sinner 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7) and into the last eight as the fourth-seeded German extended his winning run to 15 matches.
Enjoying a summer to remember, Zverev might have difficulty recalling the last time he lost a match after tapping into a run of form that has carried him to Olympic gold in Tokyo, a Masters 1000 win in Cincinnati and the last eight at Flushing Meadows.
The last time Zverev tasted defeat was in the fourth round at Wimbledon and he has not looked in danger at the US Open, rolling into the quarter-finals with the loss of one set.
- Reuters