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US Open

Russia's Elena Dementieva booked her place in the fourth round of the US Open with a victory against Daniela Hantuchova.

Dementieva led 2-0 in the opening set before losing five games in a row and being forced to save three set points on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

But from 5-2 down the 12th seed then won 11 of the next 13 games to complete a 7-5 6-2 win in one hour and 31 minutes to set up a last-16 clash with fifth seed Samantha Stosur, the French Open finalist beating Italy's Sara Errani 6-2 6-3.

"I did not want to lose that first set, I was just trying to fight for every point and that was the key for the match," said Dementieva, who dropped out of the world's top 10 for the first time in more than three years in August.

"After that I felt so much more confident in the second set and played a more aggressive game."

Hantuchova will perhaps regret the brief pause in play caused by a few spots of rain when she was serving for the first set at 5-3.

The 24th seed served two double faults when play resumed to lose her serve and was never able to regain her composure.

Defending champion Kim Clijsters benefited from a similar collapse from second-round opponent Petra Kvitova to record a 6-3 6-0 victory in one hour and two minutes.

Kvitova, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals this year but then lost in the first round of her next five tournaments, raced into a 3-0 lead with two breaks of serve.

That meant the Czech left-hander had already won more games than during her previous meeting with Clijsters - a 6-1 6-1 defeat in Miami this year - but that was as good as it got for the 27th seed.

After three double faults in the third game, Clijsters got to grips with her serve in the windy conditions and won the next 12 games in a row to seal victory before the forecast rain arrived in New York.

"I am happy to have my match done before the storm comes, if it does come," Clijsters said in reference to the effects of Hurricane Earl on the east coast.

"Now I can go back and play with Jada (her daughter) in the hotel while everyone else battles it out here."