EUROPE will have four representatives in the last eight of the US Open women’s draw after veterans, Victoria Azarenka and Tsvetana Pironkova continued their runs at Flushing Meadows. The experienced duo will join United States’ Serena Williams and Belgian Elise Mertens in the quarter finals, which begin tomorrow. The remarkable achievement of Belarus and Bulgaria to have one player in the final eight apiece is only beaten by United States (three – Williams, Shelby Rogers and Jennifer Brady). Belgium, Japan (Naomi Osaka) and Kazakhstan (Yulia Putintseva) make up the remaining contenders for the crown.

Grand Slams are often memorable for unseeded players going deep every now and again, but very few unranked players make it to the quarter finals. That is exactly the case with Pironkova who knocked off Frenchwoman Alize Cornet to set up a last round eight with Williams. The Belarusian knocked off Cornet 6-4 6-7 6-3 in two hours and 49 minutes. Whilst she is no stranger to a high ranking – ranked 31st a decade ago – she has had a couple of years off with a shoulder injury and then pregnancy.

“It’s really unbelievable that I took it this far, and… that I actually managed to win four matches, and especially the last one which lasted I think about three hours,” Pironkova said post-match. “So at this point, that is quite an achievement for me.”

Having already claimed scalps of Garbine Muguruza and Donna Vekic, the unranked talent smashed 46 winners to 24, and won 69 per cent of her first serve points, controlling the net nicely with a 75 per cent rate. Now she has the biggest challenge of the tournament – a rampaging Williams eyeing off a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam.

“Definitely a tough one,” Pironkova said. “I played against Serena a few times. I haven’t won to today. “Playing such a champion, such a legend of the game, it’s tremendous honour, obviously. “I’m really looking forward to that match, because I know the feeling is going to be very special.”

Williams has certainly hit her straps this tournament, fending off 15th seed Maria Sakkari and turning the tables on the Greek star after losing to her at the Western & Southern Open. Winning in two hours and 29 minutes, it took Williams three sets to put Sakkari away, with a 6-3 6-7 6-3 victory.

“I thought about it (the loss to Sakkari), but ever so little,” Williams said post-match. “But it’s a completely different match and a completely different scenario, a completely different moment. I kept fighting. “She was doing so well, she was being so aggressive, and I knew I needed to do the same thing.”

The other Belarusian to win through to the quarter finals has had a little more success than Pironkova in the past, with dual Grand Slam winner, Azarenka making it through after a come-from-behind win over Karolina Muchova. Azarenka won 5-7 6-1 6-4 to knock out the 20th seed in the Round of 16 in two hours and 29 minutes.

“It was a crazy match,” Azarenka said post-match. “She played unbelievably, getting to balls and bringing everything back. I would try coming to the net and bring passing shots where I couldn’t do anything! It was such a great match and of such high quality. I really had to dig in and bring more aggression because she was really feeling the ball well. “It was really tough, but also so much fun. I hope people had fun watching because I enjoyed playing it tonight.”

Now Azarenka takes on Mertens who bundled out second seed, Sofia Kenin in straight sets, winning 6-3 6-3. The match only lasted 75 minutes and the world number 18 snapped Kenin’s 10-game winning streak at Grand Slams following the American’s triumph at Melbourne Park earlier this year. After losing two encounters to the world number four last year, Mertens was pleased to get the points this time around.

“It’s always good to watch matches against players you’ve lost to, because you know you have to do better,” Mertens said post-match. I actually watched the Wuhan match, but most importantly I tried to stay focused, and that’s what I did tonight.”