Maria Sharapova knocked out of US Open by 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova

For four matches in a row at this US Open a player ranked 146 in the world has appeared exclusively on the main court, Arthur Ashe, while lamely protesting she would have happily played in the car park.

Ultimately Maria Sharapova – for it is she – could not deliver on the faith of American television and the compliance of the organisers, succumbing to the magic of Anastasija Sevastova who chipped, lobbed and sliced her way – sometimes switching hands – to an impressive win in three sets.

Venus Williams joins fellow American Sloane Stephens in US Open quarter-finalsRead moreIt was no upset. Although her 16th seeding is a fair reflection of her stature, even in a devalued field, she has always been dangerous. She was well worth her 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 win in two and a quarter hours in front of an audience still entranced by the comeback of her opponent.Last year at the same stage of the tournament, the engaging 27-year-old Latvian – for whom tennis is a joy not a business – upset Johanna Konta. She went out meekly to Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter finals winning only two games, but she left the impression that her talent should not be ignored.

Earlier in the draw she beat the world No3 Garbiñe Muguruza, who arrived in New York this year as favourite after her breakthrough win at Wimbledon.She said courtside, “Playing on Ashe is amazing. It makes it fun to play here. The first set could have gone either way. I just kept fighting, running down every ball.” Next up for her is the unseeded American Sloane Stephens, who continued her remarkable summer comeback on hard courts by beating the German 30th seed, Julia Görges, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Armstrong.Sevastova comes from Liepaja, the third largest city in Latvia, and her coach, Ronald Schmidt, cut a lonely figure in her box, but proudly wearing a cap that told of his admiration for her home town.

She is a player without artifice or frills but has a keen tennis brain.Sharapova had Sevastova’s measure in the first set and looked as if she would carry on where she had left off against the young American Sofia Kenin in the third round, whom she beat in two sets after three-set struggles against the world No2, Simona Halep, and the unseeded Hungarian, Timea Babos.

Source: Maria Sharapova knocked out of US Open by 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova | Sport | The Guardian