Petkovic advances to first US Open quarterfinalBy McCarton Ackerman
Monday, September 5, 2011
A late push from Carla Suarez Navarro was not enough to stop No. 10 seed Andrea Petkovic from moving into her first US Open quarterfinal with a routine 6-1, 6-4 victory.
"I think it's just having experience at this point," said Petkovic. "I was a good player last year, but I would crumble in the big moments or wasn't sure what shot to hit in important points. I'm much more confident with those things now."
Suarez-Navarro was playing in the second week of the US Open for the first time in her career and showed no signs of intimidation in the early stages of the match, holding a break point in Petkovic's opening service game and then three more in her next one. The German managed to erase all of them and then earned a break of serve at 2-1 with a strong backhand drive. Petkovic's strong baseline shots routinely came within inches of the baseline and didn't allow Suarez Navarro enough time to hit her loopy groundstrokes, resulting in numerous unforced errors. A double fault sent the Spaniard down 5-1 and then a backhand hit well wide wrapped up the set.
Suarez Navarro fought off two break points in her opening service game and then held a break point to go up 2-0, but sent a backhand well beyond the baseline. A missed forehand approach shot in her next service game Petkovic a 2-1 lead, and then another forehand into the net from Suarez Navarro gave the No. 10 seed a two break advantage.
Serving for the match at 5-2, Petkovic played her first loose game of the match, dumping a forehand into the net to give away one of the breaks. Energized at reducing her deficit, Suarez Navarro began to find the range on her groundstrokes, creating some of the best rallies of the match in the final stages of the contest. With Petkovic serving for the match at 5-4, she won a 20 ball rally to earn match point, and a backhand sent long from Suarez Navarro moved Petkovic into the quarterfinals.
"I lost my focus a little bit at 5-2 and she really raised her level," said Petkovic. "My legs were shaking after some of the rallies in that last game, but if I figured that I was feeling it, she probably was too."
Petkovic will now try to advance into the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career when she plays the winner between No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki and No. 15 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"I'm going to send my coach to do some scouting for that match because he has to have a job to do," Petkovic said with a smil
