Mixed emotions: Andreeva hugs her injured idol after winning the US Open

US Open fans witnessed a display of sportsmanship as Mirra Andreeva tended and consoled the injured Anastasia Potapova as the fifth seed won her fourth round match.

Potapova injured her knee when she dropped the first point in their last game at Louis Armstrong Stadium, prompting Andreeva to rush to the other end of the court to check on her.

She helped secure 24th place, and Potapova was able to limp to her bench, where Andreeva asked if someone could bring her some ice.

The French Open champion completed the next three points with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory that sent her into the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for the first time, again running around the net in a warm embrace.

“It’s not an ideal end to the match,” Andreeva, 19, said.

Potapova appeared to cry as Andreeva circled the net and embraced for a long time after the final point.

Potapova represents Austria but was born in Russia and was still playing under that flag when she won the Wimbledon junior championship in 2016.

“For me, Nastya has always been a prodigy,” Andreeva said of her 25-year-old rival.

“She arrived early for the tour. She also had many victories. I also remember how we all watched and cheered for her when she won the junior Wimbledon title. I remember watching that match.

“For me, she was always a little star that I always looked up to.”

Potapova won her first meeting on tour in 2022, but Andreeva won the last four, preventing Potapova from reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

“At first she just beat me. After that, I kind of realized that she is difficult to play with, but at the same time she is so sweet,” Andreeva said.

“From then on we trained together and it’s like this: the more you see each other, the more time you spend together, then you just talk about everything, discuss everything. And then, just like that, I feel like we have a good connection off the court.”

Elsewhere, Qinwen Zheng put in another outstanding fight, upsetting six-time major winner Iga Swiatek to reach the quarter-finals.

Zheng was the most exciting escape artist at Flushing Meadows this year, coming back from a 0-5 deficit in the deciding set against third-round opponent Madison Keys.

She let the first five games slip through her fingers in 20 minutes against 2022 champion Swiatek before getting down to business, collapsing on the court with her hands over her face after sealing the win on fourth match point.

The Chinese Olympic champion became the first since Emma Raducanu in 2021 to reach the quarter-finals of the women’s draw as she battles a chronic elbow injury that has stalled her career.

Two-time winner Naomi Osaka was soundly ousted by second seed Elena Rybakina, who won 6-1, 6-4 in just an hour.

Coco Gauff, the 2023 champion, beat 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 in an all-American bout to determine the final women’s quarterfinalist.

Gauff will face Andreeva, and Rybakina will fight Zheng. On the other side of the draw, third seed Jessica Pegula will face Emma Navarro, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.

Reuters