New York: Maria Sharapova was knocked out of the US Open on Friday after suffering a shock third round loss to Italy`s Flavia Pennetta.
The former champion and third seed was beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
Sharapova, who won the US Open in 2006 but has not won a grand slam title since the 2008 Australian Open, was one of the favourites to win the crown after winning a lead-up event in Cincinnati.
But the Russian made a whopping 60 unforced errors and served 12 double faults, including two in the final game which she needed to hold to stay alive.
"It`s disappointing to lose in New York. Losing isn`t fun for anyone because we work to win," Sharapova said.
"We don`t work to try to lose. So when we`re faced with a position where we can win and we didn`t in the end, it`s tough."
For Pennetta, a quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2008 and 2009 who is seeded 26th, it was a moment to savour as she celebrated her victory on a baking hot day at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"I think this one is one of the best victories in my career, and is gonna be like this forever," she said.
"It`s a good moment. I`m really happy right now but it`s just a match. It`s over, and I have to be focused for the next one."
Pennetta`s next opponent is China`s Peng Shuai, the 13th seed, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Julia Goerges of Germany in an increasingly wide open women`s draw.
None of the remaining players in the bottom half of the draw have won a grand slam title before and the only two to have played in a final are last year`s runner up, Vera Zvonareva of Russia, and Australia`s Sam Stosur.
Zvonareva, seeded second, beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4 7-5 on Friday while Stosur, a finalist at the French Open last year, was due to face Nadia Petrova later in the day.
There were no major early casualties on Friday in the men`s draw, which has mostly gone according to script.
Former champion Juan Martin del Potro sailed through with a 6-2, 6-1, 7-5 win over his fellow Argentine Diego Junqueira while the big-serving American John Isner blasted past his countryman Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.