Americans storm into US Open women's QFs

The day began on a down note for Americans accelerating into Day 8 of the US Open Labor Day edition, but things got markedly better later, as U.S. players eked out tough victories and celebrated a first in 13 years milestone.

No. 20 seed CoCo Vandeweghe took advantage of key opportunities to defeat Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 7-6, and Madison Keys dug out of a late hole to eliminate No. 4 seed Elina Svitolina, 7-6, 1-6, 6-4.

The two join fellow Americans Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, the first time the U.S. has had four women in the quarterfinals since 2002, when Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles all advanced to the round of 8.

Vandeweghe said when things got tight in the second set, she began to get more aggressive and pick her spots.

“I more picked up my pace,” Vandeweghe said. “I knew in the stickier points of the second set where it was getting tight. … I had to show her I was going to be present inside the court and not let her dictate.”

Vandeweghe will face No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals. The American said she’s not focused on facing the world No. 1.

“If you are so in awe … you don’t go in focused,” she said.

Keys, meantime, shook off a desultory second set and climbed out of a 4-2 decifit in the third, winning the last four games of the match to move into the US Open quarterfinals for the first time.

Earlier in the day, it was Pliskova who took out American up-and-comer Jennifer Brady, 6-1, 6-0. Brady, a 22-year-old who played at UCLA from 2013-15, had played inspired tennis earlier in the tournament but has had had a mixed 2017 – except at Grand Slams. Her fourth-round match against Pliskova represented the second time she had pushed to the second week, also making the fourth round of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year.

Brady was crestfallen at the lopsided loss but said she would put it in perspective.

“If you told me at the beginning of the year I would make the fourth round of two Grand Slams, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,” Brady said. “I have a lot to improve. I’ll get back out there.”

Brady said she’d move on to prepare for a tournament in Quebec City.

About the same time Vandeweghe was taking out Safarova, No. 5 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan were battling for their US Open lives in men's doubles on a raucous Grandstand court, surviving a three-set challenge from Oliver Marach and Mate Pavich, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In Day 2 of junior action, American Victor Kirkov pulled out a three-set win over Toru Horie, and No. 13 Sebastian Korda beat Jack Draper, 6-2, 6-2. On the girls’ side, Cori Gauff defeated Draginja Vukovic, 6-2, 7-6.

Venus Williams headlines American efforts Tuesday, taking on No. 13 Petra Kvitova during the night session, while Sloane Stephens faces No. 16 seed Anastasija Sevastova during the day.