SHARAPOVA OUSTED; VENUS, KVITOVA ADVANCE

Maria Sharapova’s Grand Slam return after a 15-month doping ban ended on Sunday with a fourth-round defeat at the US Open but the former world number one considered it a major step in her comeback.

Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova rallied to eliminate the five-time Grand Slam champion 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, booking a quarterfinal against American Sloane Stephens, who ousted Germany’s Julia Goerges 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Sharapova, the 2006 US Open winner, was able to find the positives after making 51 unforced errors to only 14 by Sevastova, whose 21 winners were half the 30-year-old Russian’s total.

“Reflecting back on the week, I can be happy,” Sharapova said. “It has been a really great ride. Ultimately, I can take a lot from this week.”

Tuesday’s other quarter-final will match Czech 13th seed Petra Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, against US ninth seed Venus Williams, seeking her eighth Slam title and third US Open crown.

Kvitova eliminated Spanish third seed and two-time Slam winner Garbine Muguruza 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 while Williams beat 35th-ranked Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

GRAND RETURN

In Sharapova’s first Slam since she tested positive for the banned blood booster meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, she ousted second-ranked Simona Halep in the first round and served notice to any contender her game remains formidable. “She played unbelievable throughout the first and second set and I just kept fighting, running for every ball,” Sevastova said. “I was confident. I was feeling it. But still you have to beat her. She was playing one of the best matches here.”

KVITOVA VS VENUS

Williams is the oldest woman entered at 37 but was this year’s Wimbledon and Australian Open runner-up. She hasn’t reached three Slam finals in a year since 2002.