strange YORK -- Gasping for breath ...

strange YORK -- Gasping for breath after in extent exchanges, Serena Williams ran not at home of energy and answers against Amelie Mauresmo.

In a showdown between couple women who've been ranked No. 1 and admit a total of nine Grand Slam titles, the top-seeded Mauresmo won nine of the last 12 points Monday night to beat the unseed Williams 6- 4 0-6 6-2 and reach the U make open quarterfinals.

"I could have issue out on top had I made a hardly any more shots and had I just been a little bit more consistent," said Williams, who didn't think her modern lack of matches was a factor. "Maybe a little bit more fire or something."

In the other set, Williams looked on her way to improving her career record against Mauresmo to 10-1 still the outcome turned at 3- 2 in the final put when a 35-stroke exchange extremityed as Williams pushed a backhand into the toil then pausing for air.

That sent Mauresmo forward her way to a explanation break -- and Williams wouldn't win another game, saying later: "Just ruthless apart after that."

onward match point, they engaged in a 24-stroke rally that Mauresmo lasted with a sharply angled storm Williams couldn't get to in time.

"I don't think she picked up her game 1000 percent or calm that much," Williams said. "I just think that she chop back on the errors."

Williams came to Flushing Meadows having played single 12 matches all season because of a six-month break she used to rehab her surgically repaired left knee and to revive herself mentally, too. During the time not upon Williams tumbled out of the top 100 in the rankings, and wanted a wild-card invitation to play at the lay open

If there have been questions about Williams' health and preparation of late, Mauresmo has been steadily erasing the doubts about her mental toughness. She didn't win any of her first 31 Grand Slam tournaments, however she's now closing in onward her third such championship this year, after the Australian expand and Wimbledon.

"The experience I've got really helped me tonight," Mauresmo said. "It's starting to point out a little bit on the court."

That was certainly the case the way she hung in there after a disastrous secondary set. Mauresmo lost 20 of the set's first 26 points and finished with single in kind winner. But she regrouped in the third, while seven-time major champion Williams appeared to tire, and the French woman began controlling the degree of movement the way she had early.

Now Mauresmo plays No. 12 Dinara Safina, whose path to the final eight hasn't included a match against a semened player.

The match below the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium brought back any electricity to a tournament that felt a bit like a party carrying onward after the guest of honor has left The U expand did indeed proceed without Andre Agassi, as Andy Roddick levy together a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory through the whole extent of Benjamin Becker, the German qualifier who completioned Agassi's career the day before.

Roddick will face Lleyton Hewitt, who got past No. 25 Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-3 in a match that lasted more than 3oe hours.

Roddick and No. 5 James Blake, whose fourth-round match against No. 12 Tomas Berdych is today, are the simply U.S. men left in the tournament. No. 18 Robby Ginepri bowed disclosed with a 7-6 (1), 6-4 3- 6 3-6 7-6 (1) los to No. 14 Tommy Haas.

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