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Halep, Kvitova into US Open quarters

Xinhua, September 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Second seed Simona Halep of Romania and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic reached their first US Open quarterfinals on Monday.

Halep overcame injury and 30-degree heat to set-up a last-eight clash against two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka.

Halep needed 2 hours and 38 minutes to down German 24th seed Sabine Lisicki 6-7(6/8), 7-5, 6-2.

Halep, 23, is the first Romanian in the last eight in New York since Irina Spirlea went to the 1997 semifinals.

"It's unbelievable to reach my first quarterfinal at the US Open. It was a crazy match," said Halep after her fourth successive win over the 2013 Wimbledon runner-up.

Azarenka reached her fourth quarterfinal in four years with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Varvara Lepchenko of the United States.

Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, holds a 2-0 career lead over Halep, although their last meeting was back in 2012.

"I'm a different player since then. I'm stronger mentally. I'm stronger physically. Will be a new match," said Halep.

Fifth seed and double Wimbledon champion Kvitova saw off British qualifier Johanna Konta 7-5, 6-3.

Kvitova is the first Czech in the quarterfinals since Daja Bedanova in 2001.

Kvitova will next face Italian 26th seed Flavia Pennetta, who reached her sixth quarterfinal in seven years with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia's Samantha Stosur, the 2011 champion. Endi