Former champion Naomi Osaka was at her free-swinging best as she stormed into the US Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 win over Anett Kontaveit on Monday (NZ time).
In a battle of baseline blasters, fourth seed Osaka had the edge in firepower over 14th seed Kontaveit in the late match at Arthur Ashe stadium.
Kontaveit showed grit to save five match points at 5-4 in the second set but bowed out netting a forehand at the end of another baseline skirmish.
Osaka's left thigh was heavily strapped as she continues to manage a hamstring injury but she moved superbly to set up a clash against unseeded American Shelby Rogers.
Rogers ousted sixth seed Petra Kvitova in her fourth round tie, winning 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(6) in one of the most tightly-contested matches of the tournament so far.
Rogers saved four match points in a strong defensive effort that saw her commit a dozen fewer unforced errors than her opponent, as the twice Wimbledon champion struggled with her serve and committed seven double faults, including one late in the third-set tiebreak.
The 27-year-old flipped her racket, pumped her hands and screamed as she booked her first-ever US Open quarter-final berth inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.
