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Kaia Kanepi of Estonia. Image Credit: AFP

New York: Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi became only the second qualifier to reach the US Open quarter-finals when the world number 418 defeated Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 6-4 on Monday.

The 32-year-old Kanepi, a former world number 15 whose career was almost ended by illness and a crippling injury to both feet, will face either Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina or Madison Keys of the United States for a place in the semi-finals.

It will be her sixth quarter-final at the majors and second in New York after also reaching the last eight in 2010.