Though there were two sentimental journeys worth cheering for on Tuesday night at the United States Open, only one could continue.
On one side of the net during a high-profile women’s quarterfinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium was Venus Williams, the 37-year-old American who is still hunting down balls in the corners in this resurgent season and chasing what would be her first major singles title in nearly a decade.
On the other side was Petra Kvitova, who is improbably back in the Grand Slam mix after a horrific home invasion and knife attack last December that left her with deep, career-threatening wounds in her primary-playing left hand.