2004 US Open champion Kuznetsova powers into 4th round by beating Kirilenko in 2 sets

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Kuznetsova beats Kirilenko to reach 4th round

NEW YORK — Two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova beat 23rd-seeded Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday night to move into the U.S. Open’s fourth round for the fourth time in five years.

Kuznetsova won Grand Slam titles at Flushing Meadows in 2004 and the French Open last year, and also was the U.S. Open runner-up in 2007.

She had lost her most recent two matches against Kirilenko, both on clay this season, but was in control pretty much throughout Saturday. Kuznetsova saved both break points she faced and finished with a 30-12 advantage in winners.

Next for Kuznetsova is a match against 45th-ranked Dominika Cibulkova.

Kirilenko fell to 0-5 in third-round matches at Flushing Meadows. She was the junior girls’ champion at the 2002 U.S. Open.