Safina, Sharapova upset by teenagers

Slides
Photos

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-07 10:24

NEW YORK: World No 1 Dinara Safina and three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova crashed out of the US Open at the hands of teen titans on Saturday, aiding fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova's title bid.

Petra Kvitova, a 19-year-old Czech who won her first WTA title in January at Hobart, and US giant-killer Melanie Oudin, two weeks shy of her 18th birthday, became the darlings of Flushing Meadows after their third-round shockers.

Kvitova, ranked 72nd, saved three match points in the 12th game of the final set and eliminated Safina 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).

"I'm very happy. It was amazing," said Kvitova, her voice cracking with emotion. "Second set I was very down. I was not focused. It was terrible. After that I concentrated on every ball and I won."

Safina will remain atop the rankings after the Open but is still searching for a first Grand Slam title and a way to play her best when it matters most.

"Third set, come back from down again having everything in my hands and just phhhhhwww," Safina said. "She played some good points but still I let it go away again from my side. Three match points and I didn't do anything on them.

"Disappointing. Very disappointing."

Oudin stunned former world No 1 Sharapova 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 at Arthur Ashe Stadium by holding serve in the final game after six consecutive service breaks to book a quarterfinal berth against Russian 13th seed Nadia Petrova.

"I still feel like I had my chances even though it wasn't my best day," said Sharapova. "When you let those chances go, it's just frustrating."

Reigning French Open champion and sixth seed Kuznetsova dispatched Israel's Shahar Peer 7-5, 6-1, to become the highest remaining seed in her half of the draw.

Oudin followed her upset of former world No 1 Jelena Jankovic at Wimbledon with a second-round US Open ouster of fourth seed Elena Dementieva and added Sharapova to her victims list.

"I'm just so happy," a tearful Oudin said. "I just kept fighting as hard as I could. I tried as hard as I could. I just came in believing.

"I once again proved to myself that I can compete with these top girls. If I believe in myself and my game, then I can beat them."

Sharapova, who returned from right shoulder surgery in May, double faulted 21 times and committed 63 unforced errors, 19 more than Oudin, who converted on only 8-of-26 break-point chances.

"With the amount of errors I made from both my groundstrokes and my serve, to be able to get it to three sets is not bad," Sharapova said. "If I didn't make those errors, those double-faults, I certainly would have won the match. So that gives me some confidence."

There was no such optimism for Safina, who made 39 unforced errors and nine double faults with only 12 winners. While Kvitova had 59 unforced errors, she fired 47 winners with only five double faults.

"I just thought I must play each point very good because Safina would play every point," Kvitova said. "She didn't give up."

AFP