Noskova battles past Kostyuk to reach US Open quarter-finals

[p]The Czech beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kostyuk-marta/8CZqQdSa/"]Kostyuk[/a] in straight ‌sets en route to the title at the grasscourt ‌major this year but endured a far tougher ‌encounter at Louis Armstrong Stadium, finally sealing victory on her sixth match point with an unreturnable serve.[/p][p][b]"I am ‌more than relieved. This match was ⁠so tough. I ‌mean, emotionally, more than physically," said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noskova-linda/zHMiAkw6/"]Noskova[/a], who crumpled to ​the court as she finally got over the finish line. "I feel like a huge ​rock fell off my heart at the end."[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="caf8a512-288f-450b-96a8-081d49b796ff" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1bfd8a9c-e356-4dc5-abcf-cd513e516959" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The sixth seed used her rock-solid backhand to blunt her ⁠opponent's serve in ​the opening set and produced a couple of fine forehand winners en route to the decisive break in the 11th game.[/p][p]Kostyuk's troubles deepened in the ‌second set as two double faults and an unforced error handed Noskova a break in the seventh game.[/p][p]The Ukrainian slumped over and buried her face in her hands after sending a shot wide in the eighth, but the fans rallied around her, sparking a revival that saw her save two match points and swat a shot ‌past Noskova to pull level at 5-5.[/p][p]Kostyuk then broke ​her opponent to love in the 12th ‌game to force a deciding set, but could not sustain the momentum. Noskova moved 4-3 ahead with a superb backhand winner, and Kostyuk repeatedly boiled over with frustration.[/p][p][b]"Today was very ⁠close. It could have ⁠ended both ways," ‌said Noskova.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/kostyuk-m-8CZqQdSa/noskova-l-zHMiAkw6/?mid=ELWcssdC"]Check out the game summary with Flashscore.[/a][/p]