Staff Reporter.
@USOpen.
Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez continued her remarkable US Open run as she beat 2016 champion Angelique Kerber to advance to the quarter-finals.
On the eve of her 19th birthday, Fernandez backed up her win over Naomi Osaka with a 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 victory over Germany’s Kerber.
She battled back from a 4-2 deficit in the second set to force a tie-break and barely let up from then on.
Fernandez will face fifth seed Elina Svitolina for a semi-final spot.
Fernandez doubled over as her victory was confirmed, before she was given a standing ovation by a full crowd on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
“I was just glad I was having fun on the court,” Fernandez said.
“I have been working hard since the day I started playing tennis and the day I set my mind to being a professional.
“I expected that one day my tennis game is going to come through and that I’m going to be on the big stage in front of a big crowd and getting the wins.”
Meanwhile Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz continued his sensational US Open debut by coming from behind to beat German Peter Gojowczyk in five sets and reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Alcaraz, 18, recovered from two-sets-to-one down to win 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 6-0.
The victory sees Alcaraz become the youngest player in the Open era to reach the US Open men’s last eight.
The world number 55 will face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime next in New York.
The 12th seed came from a set down to defeat the USA’s Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-2 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.
“I’m super excited to be in my first second week in the Grand Slam, so it’s amazing for me. It’s a dream come true,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s really tough to play these kind of matches, to play fifth sets. I hope to play more second weeks, to play more quarter-finals of Grand Slams.
“I didn’t expect to play quarter-finals here. So I think it’s a really good performance from me in these matches.”