Monday 4 September 2017 09:47, UK
Sunday's fourth-round action had a host of big names, and headlines in waiting, none more so than former champion Maria Sharapova but her hopes of a fairytale return were halted by Anastasija Sevastova.
The Russian has been appearing in her first major following a 15-month doping suspension but despite claiming the opening set, Sharapova was unable to overpower her Latvian opponent who stormed back for a 5-7 6-4 6-2 victory and a place in the last eight in New York for the second year in succession.
Up next for Sevastova, bidding to emulate French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko as a Latvian Grand Slam champion, is in-form home favourite Sloane Stephens who beat. Germany's 30th seed Julia Goerges.
While Sevastova and Stephens makes for a surprise line-up in one bottom-half quarter-final the same cannot be said of the other as Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams advanced to a showdown in the last eight.
Two-time US Open champion Williams, twice a Grand Slam runner-up already this season, booked her place in the quarter-finals thanks to an impressive 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.
And up next will be two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova who beat this year's SW19 champion Garbine Muguruza to continue her own return having been stabbed by an intruder at her home in December last year.
However the return of Russia's Sharapova was the story of the first week having began the tournament with an impressive three-set victory over world No 2 Simona Halep.
Sharapova enjoyed a promising start, clinching the first set against another higher-ranked opponent, but lost momentum as the match wore on and with fatigue understandably setting in over the two hours and 16 minutes, she suffered defeat to end her return, which had not been welcomed by everyone.
"I feel like I'm really beyond that, I think there's only a way to show it on the court, because that's what really matters to me," she said.
"I have so many things in my life but there's a desire to keep going for more and to keep living through these moments out on these courts.
"That's special and that's meaningful. As long as I have that desire, I'll be there. That's what's important to me.
"It's been a really great ride in the last week. Ultimately I can take a lot from this week. It's great to get that major out of the way. It was an incredible opportunity. I'm very thankful for it. I did my best. I can be proud of that."
Next up for Sevastova is American Stephens after the 24-year-old added a second seed to the list of names she has seen off so far.
Stephens claimed the first set, only to see 20th seed Goerges battle back to level the match, before running away with the decider and a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory.
It is Stephens' third career Grand Slam quarter-final but her first since 2013 and continues her best-ever run in New York where she had never been beyond the fourth round.
Kvitova's story remains a remarkable one with her well-documented return one of the great stories of the WTA Tour in 2017 and it could yet have a champion's ending.
Having missed the Australian Open she suffered second-round defeats at both the French Open and Wimbledon but with more miles in legs, if not full feeling in her hand, she accounted for Muguruza in a hugely impressive 7-6 6-3 success.
"It was the kind of moment that I dream of to come and play again on the big stages against great players on the tour," Kvitova said after reaching the last eight in New York for only the second time.
"That was one of the motivations to be back. So probably in my mind was just there, thinking about it. I didn't really
play these kind of great players so far in the season when I came back. It was something really special for me.
"I knew how everything was just so tight and very close, every game that we played in the end of the match. I just knew it would be about a few points."
Venus Williams will be aiming to halt Kvitova's dream while looking to celebrate the birth of sister Serena's first child with a first singles Grand Slam title since 2008.
The American has lost in the final of both Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year as she targets a major at the age of 37 and she is full of admiration for Kvitova's return.
"What she's gone through is unimaginable, unreasonable," said Williams.
"The world we live in is just shocking. So for her to be playing well is such a blessing. To be able to come out here and do what she needs to do, to clear her head, it's such a beautiful thing to see."
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