Bianca Andreescu still on course for dream US Open debut as she moves into quarter-finals
Bianca Andreescu’s dream US Open debut is still on course after she beat American surprise package Taylor Townsend to book a quarter-final berth.
Taylor, a qualifier, produced the shock of the tournament when she beat Wimbledon champion Simona Halep in round two, and she put up admiral resistance on Arthur Ashe, but it was 15th-seed Andreescu who prevailed.
The Canadian teenager started the match brilliantly, quickly bagging the first set with the loss of just a single game, only to see Townsend battle back and take the second.
That comeback seemed to sap Townsend’s energy reserves, though, allowing Andreescu to dominate the decider and claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win.
Elsewhere, Donna Vekic has reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final after she survived match point to down Julia Goerges 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3.
“I don’t know how I won this match,” Vekic admitted .”She served for it, she had match points. I kept fighting and believing I could win.
“I think when the matches are this close, even if you’re match points down, you have to believe that you can win. I was really going out there, when she was serving for 5-4, I was really thinking I could win this game and try to turn the match around.
“I was just trying to get a return in the court. She served amazing today. I felt confident in the rallies and I felt that if I got the ball in, I’d have a good chance.”
Elise Mertens, the 25th-seed, is also going to be in the last eight after halting the run of wildcard Kristie Ahn with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 win.
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