US Open: Garbine Muguruza beats Victoria Azarenka; Simona Halep through

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Garbine Muguruza won the battle of Grand Slam champions as she beat Victoria Azarenka to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

Both players have won two Slam titles and are former world number ones but it was Spaniard Muguruza who edged out Belarus' Azarenka 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Angelique Kerber beat Sloane Stephens 5-7 6-2 6-3 in a meeting of two former US Open champions.

There were also third-round wins for Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina.

Former world number one Azarenka reached the final in New York last year, where she lost to Naomi Osaka in three sets.

She took a quick 4-3 lead in the first set before Muguruza fought back, winning 11 points in a row to close out the set.

Azarenka was dominant in the second but faded in the closing stages of the decider, eventually double faulting on match point.

It is the first time Muguruza, who will play French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova next, has reached the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

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Halep overcomes 'crazy on court'

Simona Halep's two Grand Slam wins came at the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019

Romanian 12th seed Halep rediscovered some of her pre-calf injury form with a battling 7-6 (13-11) 4-6 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina of Kazhakstan.

Playing with her right thigh heavily strapped, Halep saved three set points in the first set tie-break and had to fight back from a break down in each set.

"Before the match, I was super stressed and I told [her coach] Darren Cahill that my forehand is lost. So I cannot feel it anymore," Halep said.

"I had emotions. I was nervous. And I was crazy a little bit on court, as well, the frustrations got me a little bit.

"But I fought, and this victory gives me a lot of confidence that my game is coming back and also the fighting spirit is there."

She will face fifth seed Svitolina next after the Ukrainian beat Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-4 6-2.

Roland Garros champion Krejcikova continued her astonishing season with a 6-4 6-2 win over Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia.

Czech Krejcikova is one of only three women, along with Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka, to have won 40 or more matches this season.

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