NEW YORK — Third-seeded Andy Murray was knocked out of the U.S. Open by big-serving South African Kevin Anderson, who reached his first grand slam quarterfinal with a 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(0) win Monday night.
Murray had battled his way back from two sets down in the second round against France’s Adrian Mannarino, but could not work another miracle against the 14th-ranked, 29-year-old Anderson, who swept the final tiebreak 7-0.
Anderson, the 15th seed who had lost the seven previous times he had reached the Round of 16 in a grand slam, broke through with a brilliant display of serving in the final tiebreak.
He cracked his 25th ace along with two other service winners in ending the match, the longest of the tournament, after four hours and 18 minutes.
The upset victory lifted Anderson into a last eight meeting against fifth-seeded French Open champion Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner against American Donald Young.
Wawrinka shut the door on the 68th-ranked Young by not allowing him to reach a single break point in the fourth set.
The 26-year-old Young, regarded during his teenage years as the next great American men’s player, had advanced to the fourth round with two epic wins from two sets down.
“Some good moments on the court,” said Wawrinka, who struck a massive 52 winners, including 11 aces, in the match. “Mentally I was there. It was a good win for me.”
Four years ago, Young beat Wawrinka in a fifth-set tiebreaker in the second round at the U.S. Open.
“It’s a long time ago,” said Wawrinka, who since then has broken through on the grand slam stage, winning the 2014 Australian Open with victory over Rafa Nadal and beating world number one Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final this year.
The 30-year-old Wawrinka said his victory over Young was his best match of the tournament so far and that he was pleased with how he bounced back after dropping the second set.
“I think I start the third set really right again. I was physically there trying to play again more aggressive, the way I start the match also,” he said.
Young, who reached the final at Delray Beach and the semifinals at Memphis earlier this year, said he was encouraged by his play at Flushing Meadows where he equalled his best grand slam result.
“This was a good step in the right direction for me,” Young said. “I think I’m a little more ready to be a little more consistent.
“I feel like things are coming around. I really feel like I’m ready to do it on a consistent level and not just do it for a while or work hard for a little bit and then relax. I’m looking forward to keeping it going.”
In other action, Simona Halep overcame a thigh injury, baking heat and finally big-hitting German Sabine Lisicki to advance. Halep had to work for her spot in the last eight, needing two hours and 38 minutes under a broiling sun to dispatch Lisicki 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-2 and reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time.
Waiting for the second seeded Romanian in the last eight is two-time U.S. Open finalist Victoria Azarenka, who advanced with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over American Varvara Lepchenko.
After dropping the opening set Halep called out the trainer to have treatment on her left thigh and at the end of the second the players left the court when the heat rule came into effect, but through it all the exhausted Romanian was able to hold on.
Her left leg heavily strapped, Halep sensed her opportunity when Lisicki began to tighten up in the third set and stretch between every point.
Halep, who converted 10 of 11 break chances, claimed the most crucial one to go ahead 4-2 and then held serve to break her 24th seeded opponent again and clinch a spot in the last eight at Flushing Meadows.
Italy’s Flavia Pennetta returned to the quarter-finals for the fourth consecutive year easing past 2011 U.S. Open winner Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-4.