New York, Sept. 7: Grit was not going to be enough to get Maria Sharapova past top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on Monday, especially not after the Russian conceded nine double-faults — including three in a row — and a total of 36 unforced errors.

Wozniacki, the 2009 runner-up, wrapped up a 6-3, 6-4 fourth-round win over Sharapova, who has failed to make it even as far as the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows since winning the 2006 title.

Doing “what she does best,” as Sharapova herself put it, Wozniacki got to nearly every ball and hammered it back, stretching points on and on and on until her opponent missed the mark.

“I felt like I was playing well out there,” Wozniacki said, then made sure everyone understood a key concept by adding, “I made her do those errors.”

Indeed, she did. Rare is the opponent who can trade powerful baseline groundstrokes with three-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova and figure out a way to put her on the defensive, but that’s exactly what Wozniacki managed to do.

“When she had the opportunity to step in,” the 14th-seeded Sharapova said, her voice a barely audible monotone, “she took it and went for her shots.”

It’s the first victory for Wozniacki in three career meetings against Sharapova, but they hadn’t met since 2008. In that time, the 20-year-old Wozniacki has grown as a player and built a huge supply of confidence, thanks to her Grand Slam final debut in New York and, most recently, her 18-1 record since Wimbledon.

Wozniacki carries a 12-match winning streak into her quarterfinal against 45th-ranked Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, who eliminated 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 7-5, 7-6 (4).

The other quarterfinal on that side of the draw will be No.31 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia against No.7 Vera Zvonareva, who overwhelmed 38th-ranked Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-1, 6-2.

On the men’s side, third-seeded Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive year by outclassing No.19 Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

Djokovic next faces No.17 Gael Monfils, a 6-4, 7-5, 7-5 winner over Richard Gasquet in an all-French matchup.

Another quarterfinal will pit five-time US Open champion Roger Federer against No.5 Robin Soderling of Sweden, a two-time French Open finalist whose upset of Federer in that round at Paris this year ended his record streak of reaching the semifinals at 23 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.

Federer reached the quarterfinals at a 26th major in a row by beating No.13 Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in Monday night’s last match.

The Results
Women’s singles fourth round (x denotes seed): Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x11) 7-5, 7-6 (7/4); Kaia Kanepi (EST x31) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x15) 0-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-1; Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x1) bt Maria Sharapova (RUS x14) 6-3, 6-4; Vera Zvonareva (RUS x7) bt Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-1, 6-2.

Men’s singles fourth round (x denotes seed): Gael Monfils (FRA x17) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-4, 7-5, 7-5; Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) bt Mardy Fish (USA x19) 6-3, 6-4, 6-1; Robin Soderling (SWE x5) bt Albert Montanes (ESP x21) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT x13) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

Mixed doubles quarterfinals: Bethanie Mattek-Sands-Daniel Nestor (USA/ Canada x4) bt Chan Yung-Jan-Paul Hanley (Taipei/ Australia) 6-4, 6-3; Kveta Peschke-Aisam-Ul-Haq Qurreshi (Czech Republic/ Pakistan) bt Gisela Dulko-Pablo Cuevas (Argentina/ Uruguay) 3-6, 6-2, 10-4; Liezel Huber-Bob Bryan (USA x1) bt Lisa Raymond-Wesley Moodie (USA/ S. Africa x7) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3); Anna-Lena Groenfeld-Mark Knowles (Germany/ Bahamas) bt Cara Black-Leander Paes (Zimbabwe/ India x2) 6-3, 6-4.

Pic Caption:
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark celebrates a point against Maria Sharapova of Russia during their US Open match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre at Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.