NEW YORK (Reuters) – Young guns Carlos Alcaraz and Leylah Fernandez continued to impress at the U.S. Open on Sunday, the teenagers storming into the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Alcaraz, 18, beat Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-0 to become the youngest men’s player in the professional era to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals.
“I felt the energy of the crowd pushing me up … without the crowd, it couldn’t be possible to be here,” he said.
Fernandez, who upset defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round, took down 2016 winner Angelique Kerber 4-6 7-6(5) 6-2.
“I did have to pinch myself a little bit to see that it actually happened,” Fernandez, who turns 19 on Monday, said of defeating two former champions.
Fernandez next faces fifth seed Elina Svitolina, who knocked out Simona Halep 6-3 6-3.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka beat her former doubles partner Elise Mertens 6-4 6-1 to move into the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
She will be up against French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova, who overcame breathing difficulties to beat twice Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza 6-3 7-6(4).
Daniil Medvedev beat Briton Dan Evans 6-3 6-4 6-3 and is next up against Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp, who outlasted Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-1 to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime beat American Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-2 7-6(6) 6-4.
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Highlights of the seventh day at the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, at Flushing Meadows on Sunday (times in GMT):
0510 KREJCIKOVA SURVIVES TO REACH QUARTERS
French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova survived a second set onslaught from Garbine Muguruza to win 6-3 7-6(4) and move into the quarter-finals where she faces second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Krejcikova took a medical timeout to treat an injury late in the second set and was visibly in distress after the match.
0255 AUGER-ALIASSIME DISPATCHES TIAFOE
Canadian 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime came from behind to beat American Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-2 7-6(6) 6-4, firing 24 aces and 56 winners.
0045 ALCARAZ INTO QUARTERS
Spainish teen Carlos Alcaraz reached the last eight with a 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-0 win over Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk, becoming the youngest men’s player in the professional era to reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open.
2340 SABALENKA SEES OFF MERTENS
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reached her first U.S. Open quarter-final with a comfortable 6-4 6-1 win over her good friend and former doubles partner Elise Mertens.
2210 FERNANDEZ FLIES INTO QUARTER-FINALS
Canadian teen sensation Leylah Fernandez stormed into her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 4-6 7-6(5) 6-2 victory over 16th seed Angelique Kerber.
Fernandez, who turns 19 on Monday, will next face Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina.
1935 MEDVEDEV MARCHES ON
Second seed Daniil Medvedev cruised into the quarter-finals with comfortable 6-3 6-4 6-3 victory over Britain’s Dan Evans.
The Russian will next face Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp, who beat Argentine 11th seed Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-4 5-7 5-7 6-1 to the reach the last eight at a major for the first time.
1735 SVITOLINA TOO GOOD FOR HALEP
Fifth seed Elina Svitolina easily dispatched former world number one Simona Halep in straight sets, winning 6-3 6-3 in 76 minutes.
1545 PLAY RESUMES AFTER LIGHT RAIN ON OUTSIDE COURTS
Two doubles matches — on Court 17 and Grandstand — got back underway after they were briefly interrupted by rain.
Heavy rain is not forecast on day seven.
(Compiled by Dhruv Munjal, Simon Jennings and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond/Christian Radnedge/Peter Rutherford)
