US Open 2017: Classy Petra Kvitova topples third seed Garbine Muguruza

Updated 04/09/2017 at 03:14 GMT

Petra Kvitova put on an awesome display as she beat third seed Garbine Muguruza 7-6(3) 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic reacts against to Garbine Muguruza of Spain

Image credit: Getty Images

The two double-Grand Slam champions went toe-to-toe under the lights on Arthur Ashe, and while it was Muguruza who drew first blood to take to a 4-1 lead, Kvitova bounced back to clinch the opening set on a tie-break.

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Muguruza's hopes of ending her stint in New York as world number one were dashed as she fell apart in the second set - with 13th seed Kvitova going on to complete her biggest win since returning to the Tour in May.

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The two-time Wimbledon winner, who has never progressed beyond the quarters at Flushing Meadows, will now face 37-year-old Venus Williams for a place in the semi-final. The American prevailed in three sets against Carla Suarez Navarro earlier on Sunday.

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Neither player had dropped a set in the tournament going into the fourth-round encounter, and the 64-minute opener did not disappoint as momentum swung both ways.

Muguruza, who was chasing back-to-back Grand Slams having won Wimbledon back in July, broke when a first opportunity fell in the fourth game, with the unforced errors quickly mounting up off Kvitova’s racket.

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However, the Czech survived three break points in a tense sixth game to remain within touching distance at 4-1, and she brought it back on serve a game later when converting with her first break point.

Kvitova continued to shift up the gears as she broke in the 11th game to lead 6-5, but she failed to serve out for the set as a double fault brought up the lottery of a tie-break.

The duo could not be separated as they headed to the changeover at 3-3, but a couple of Muguruza errors handed Kvitova three set points, and she took her chance at the first time of asking.

In the second set, Muguruza responded perfectly by breaking Kvitova in the opening game – but the lead did not last long as the world number 14 broke back.

Kvitova then moved ahead with a third straight break, and while she failed to convert a match point on Muguruza’s serve at 5-2, the 27-year-old closed it out a game later after saving three dramatic break-back points.