US Open: Andy Murray's US Open hopes were destroyed by Croatian Marin Cilic this evening. The British star's court craft had been expected to prove too much for the 16th seed but instead Cilic's power blew Murray away as he romped to a 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory.
The bigger-hitting Cilic was able to pin Murray back and his more aggressive game plan saw him crack many more winners - 33 to 13 - over the course of the contest.
Murray did have his opportunities, but he was unable to convert on any of his seven break-point chances.
In particular he will reflect on missing two set points in the opener when he had Cilic down 4-5 15-40.
However, the 16th seed held firm and duly broke Murray in the next game before serving out the set.
Murray had appeared troubled by his left wrist towards the end of the set - he had been seen having it treated during his morning practice session - and his concerns deepened when a volley error handed Cilic an immediate break in the second set.
0-1 soon became 0-4 as Cilic made it seven games on the spin and despite the Croatian getting only 31 per cent of his first serves in play in the second set, he raced through it 6-2 to leave Murray with a huge task to turn the match around.
But with Cilic looking so solid from the back of the court, there was little chance of a fightback materialising.
The relentless Cilic refused to take his foot off the gas and broke serve for the fourth time in the opening game of the third set.
Murray, last year's runner-up at Flushing Meadows, tried to respond but he was unable to fashion another break point as he made a tame exit.
Most worrying in terms of his future will be the manner of defeat. Just as at the Australian and French Open, where he lost to Fernando Verdasco and Fernando Gonzalez respectively, Murray had been blown away by a power-hitter against whom his counter-punching style had had little effect.
Cilic, however, should be applauded for a fine display - one which takes him into his first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final. He will play Juan Martin Del Potro in the last eight.
Kim Clijsters'remarkable return to Grand Slam tennis is showing no sign of coming to end any time soon, thanks to a comfortable quarter-final w6-2 6-4 win over China's Li Na at Flushing Meadows.
The Belgian, playing just her third tournament since coming out of a two-year retirement, is now the first mother since Yvonne Goolagong at Wimbledon in 1980 to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.
Whether Clijsters can emulate the Australian and lift the trophy here remains to be seen - next up for her will be a meeting with either title favourite Serena Williams or in-form Italian Flavia Pennetta.
Clijsters, conqueror of Venus Williams in the previous round, drew first blood with a break of serve in the third game on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
While Clijsters was continuing her high level of play, Li was simply making too many errors and she was soon a double break down and the Belgian served out to claim a one-set lead after just 25 minutes.
Another wayward shot from Li handed Clijsters an immediate break in the second set and the Chinese then saved two break points to prevent herself falling a double break down.
That seemed to give Li some confidence and for the first time in the match she began to trouble her opponent.
She broke back to level the set at 3-3 and Clijsters must have had some concerns when she stepped up to serve at 3-4.
However, the former world number one steeled herself and Li fell back into trouble in the ninth game when she slipped to 0-40.
The Chinese saved two of the break points but went long on the third to leave the 2005 champion serving for the match.
And another unforced error - Li's 41st of the contest - saw Clijsters clinch victory in just 63 minutes.