Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber's remarkable run at the US Open continues and the German lefty defeated fellow lefty Petra Kvitova in straight sets to reach her seventh career Grand Slam quarterfinal, and now leads 5-4 in their career meetings.
Kerber, the second seed is now in the driving seat to attain the world number one ranking from Serena Williams, and the six-time US Open champion has to make it into the final in New York to have any chance of retaining her ranking.
Both players left the Rio Olympics with medals, Kerber left with silver and Kvitova left with bronze and both players suffered three set defeats at the hands of gold medalist Monica Puig.
This encounter under the lights at the Arthur Ashe Stadium was delayed for an hour due to the five-set epic between Rafael Nadal and Lucas Pouille overran into the night session.
Kerber cruises in the opening set
Both players started this anticipated encounter in routine fashion as the 14th-seeded Czech began the match holding serve easily, and the German did the same to have the match evenly poised at 1-1.
However, in the third game, an error-strewn Kvitova thrown in unforced errors and a double fault, and a poor drop shot and backhand volley into the net handed Kerber the initiative to retrieve the first break of the match to lead 2-1.
The two-time Wimbledon champion didn't have time to dwell on her poor service game, and responded perfectly by breaking Kerber immediately by applying pressure on Kerber's weak second serves, and she claimed the break to 15 with the second seed's backhand finding the net.
There was a third consecutive break in the fifth game, as Kerber was able to regain her break advantage which was a surprise as Kvitova build a 30-15 lead with a service winner out wide and forehand winner in the corner, however, three consecutive forehand unforced errors gifted the German the 3-2 lead.
Last year's US Open quarterfinalist was trying to be aggressive building a 15-30 lead with a crouch shot and good return out wide drawing backhand errors from Kerber's racquet on each occasion, however, the German responded with a forehand winner with Kvitova placed on the other side of the court and a backhand error handed her a game point.
The duo engaged in a ten shot rally with Kvitova coming out on top with Kerber's forehand sailing long to save the game point, however, two more forehand unforced errors allowed the Australian Open champion to consolidate the break and lead 4-2.
Kvitova responded perfectly in the seventh game by holding to 15 easily and made sure that she stayed in touch with Kerber but was trailing 4-3.
Two more unforced errors in the following game allowed the German to have a 30-0 lead but Kerber served a double fault, furthermore, a forehand unforced error into the net handed the German two more game points but Kvitova knew that she had to be aggressive, and was attacking Kerber getting a forehand winner but Kerber held serve with a little bit of luck with a forehand winner and the ball trickling over the net to lead 5-3.
The 14th seed was serving to stay in the opening set and it proved to be a difficult task by a backhand unforced error sailing into the net and a double fault , but a forehand error from Kerber gave the Czech a point but still trailed at 15-30.
Kvitova thought that she had served a good first serve out wide but the German challenged and it was out meaning that Kvitova had a second serve and yet again, the Czech lefty was trying to be aggressive with Kerber soaking up the pressure and a backhand unforced error handed the second seed a set point.
The Czech saved it as the duo were exchanging cross-court and a backhand sailed long, however, Kerber clinched the first set with her trademark forehand down the line punishing Kvitova's second serve to take the opening set 6-3 in 31 minutes.
Closely contested second set
Kerber began the second set holding to love, and Kvitova held serve but with difficulty as the game went to deuce and a couple of forehand errors spewing from the German's racquet leveled the second set at 1-1.
Kvitova began the third game on Kerber's serve with an intention to break as she placed a backhand winner in the court, followed by a forehand winner from the German, and the Czech finished off a six-shot rally with a forehand winner.
Unfortunately, the 14th seed couldn't take advantage by committing three more unforced errors to aid Kerber in having a 2-1 lead at the first sit down.
The two-time Wimbledon champion's second service game in the second set almost mirrored her first one as she opened the game with a double fault but a forehand drive volley winner gave the Czech a 30-15 lead, and the game went to deuce once with the German showcasing her tremendous defensive skills but Kvitova held serve with a forehand smash-winner.
In the fifth game, Kvitova once again builds a 15-30 advantage on Kerber's serve with a backhand winner down the line, and a double fault from the German's racquet, however, the duo engaged in a 14 shot rally and a forehand unforced error allowed Kerber to get the game to 30-30.
A forehand cross-court winner brought up a break point for Kvitova but a good first serve out wide from the German sniffed out that break point chance and a couple of good serves allowed the German to hold serve unscathed with a 3-2 lead.
Missed opportunities for Kvitova
The following game, the Czech was immediately put under pressure as three consecutive unforced errors handed Kerber a 0-40 lead to break, however, a five-shot rally and forehand winner placed in the corner saved one, and a backhand winner down the line saved the second one, and Kvitova saved the third break point in a remarkable 11 shot rally with Kerber defending but a backhand winner at the net got the game to deuce.
A cut volley at the net and a backhand error by Kerber, followed by a forehand winner in a 13 shot rally gave the Czech a crucial hold for 3-3.
Once again in the seventh game, the Australian Open champion lead 30-0 but Kvitova punished a weak 75mph second serve with a forehand return winner in the corner, followed by another forehand winner in the corner, and Kerber's backhand went wide to give Kvitova a break point.
However, with the Czech lefty on the backfoot, the second seed produced a forehand winner on the line to save the break point and another two unforced errors allowed Kerber to nudge the scoreboard in her favor with a 4-3 lead.
Kvitova held serve to stay with Kerber at 4-4 but the highlights of the eighth game was a 15 shot rally with Kerber placed on the baseline and a backhand sliced drop shot winner created a game point and a serve out wide with the German's forehand error placed into the net.
The second seed gained a 30-0 lead with two errors from her fellow lefty's racquet but a running forehand down the line from Kvitova garnered an applause from Kerber's racquet and a backhand error into the net, gave Kvitova a small chance to break.
However, two unforced errors gifted Kerber the 5-4 lead. The two-time Wimbledon champion was serving to stay in the match and held serve easily to keep the second set going with serve at 5-5.
Kvitova was navigating her way for a late break in the second set with a cross-court rally and the 14th seed came rushing towards the net with a forehand winner to have a 15-30 lead advantage, although an unforced error in a 12 shot rally from the Czech's racquet, a backhand unforced error and a serve out wide from Kerber gave the German a 6-5 lead.
A late break hands Kerber the victory
The two-time Wimbledon champion once again had the pressure of serving to stay in the match and she started the game off brightly with a seven shot rally, and goes behind Kerber with a forehand winner, however, at 40-30, Kvitova conceited a tame unforced error into the net and during an amazing 19 shot rally, Kerber's defensive shots were too much for Kvitova to handle with a forehand unforced error landing in the net to bring up a first match point.
Unfortunately for Kvitova, a double fault handed the Australian Open champion a late break to clinch the match in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5 to reach her second US Open quarterfinal and first since her breakthrough run to the semifinals in 2011.
Match stats
Neither player served any aces but Kvitova had seven double faults and only won 29 percent of the points on her second serve but served well with getting 55 percent of her first serves in and won 76 percent of the points on her first serve.
However, Kerber got 65 percent of her first serves in and won 73 percent of the points on her first serve but the decisive factor in this battle of the lefties were that Kvitova committed a staggering 43 unforced errors with Kerber having eight winners and eight unforced errors.
Kvitova's defeat to Kerber means that the Czech has not reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal in a season for the first time since 2009.
Next for the German
The reigning Australian Open champion continues her quest for her second Grand Slam singles title in 2016, after falling short at Wimbledon losing to Serena Wiliams, Kerber will pair up with last year's finalist and seventh seed Roberta Vinci in the quarterfinals.
This is the first time in the German's career that she has reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals or better in a Calendar Year with her only blip coming at the French Open when she lost in the first round.
Kerber has yet to drop a set throughout the tournament and she will be incredibly difficult to beat.