体坛英语资讯：Wozniacki upsets Sharapova, Kuznetsova exits at U.S. Open

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki snapped former champion Maria Sharapova in straight sets on Monday to advance to quarterfinals at the U.S. Open.

Another champion ousted on Monday was Svetlana Kuznetsova as the 11th-seeded Russian became the major casualty at fourth round to Slovak Dominika Cibulkova, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).

Wozniacki, last year's U.S. Open runner-up to Belgian star Kim Clijsters at Flushing Meadow, took advantage of 36 unforced errors from Sharapova, the 2006 champion, to nail a 6-3, 6-4 victory in a little under two hours.

"Even with those undforced errors, I still had the chances and I was 1 for 8 on breakpoints," said the 23-year-old Sharapova.

 Caroline Wozniacki plays at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York September 4, 2010.

"Against someone that's playing really well, playing with a lot of confidence, it's really important to take those chances that you have, the very few that come your way."

To Wozniacki, it's not unforced errors but was pressed. "I felt I was playing well there. I made her do those errors, and I'm really happy to be through and that I won this match," said the 20-year-old Dane.

"My strategy was definitely I knew that I had to be ready for the first ball. I knew she was going to try to attack me from the beginning. I knew she was trying to be aggressive.

"For me it was important to keep as many balls in the court but still try to move her around and try to dictate, as well."

The weakest part of Sharapova's game was undoubtedly her serve, as she gave Wozniacki the only break of the opening set when, from leading 40-30 in the fourth game, she produced three consecutive double-faults.

Sharapova's serve failed her again in the second set when she double-faulted in the seventh game to provide Wozniacki with the only break.

In all, Sharapova double-faulted nine-times.

Sharapova was 2-0 lifetime against the 20-year-old Dane, with both matches coming in 2008.

"I felt like I played a couple of good points and then make an easy error, hit a return long or miss a first serve, give her many looks at second-serve returns," said Sharapova.

"I think it just needs to be more stable and not so up and down, especially against an opponent like her.

"I need to string a few more things together than I did. It's all really capitalizing on what you have. You work hard for something, and then you let it slip away. I think I've just got to capitalize on that."

Wozniacki has won 12 straight and 18 of her last 19 matches, including titles in her last two events, in Montreal and New Haven.

 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia hits a return to Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, September 6, 2010.

Cibulkova dismissed Kuznetsova in two hours, six minutes, as the erratic Russian piled up 10 double faults and had her serve broken on four occasions.

"I would say it was a good match from my side," Cibulkova said. "You know, I was just trying to be aggressive as I could, and Svetlana today, she lets me be more aggressive."

The two-time Grand Slam event champion Kuznetsova titled here in 2004 and was the U.S. Open runner-up in 2007. She hasn't reached the quarterfinals in Flushing since 2007.

The 21-year-old Cibulkova will appear in her second career and first-ever U.S. Open quarterfinal.

Rising 31st-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi reached her second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, as she upended 15th-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, the 2009 semifinalist here, 0-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1.

Kanepi reached her first-ever major quarterfinal at Wimbledon in July.