Schnyder downs Srebotnik to reach last eight

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Swiss 15th seed Patty Schnyder fought back to defeat Slovenian challenger Katarina Srebotnik 4-6 6-3 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open on Sunday.

It was a repeat of their fourth round match in the French Open this year, which was also won by Schnyder.

The 28th-seeded Srebotnik initially kept up the form that helped her to beat third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round, firing down aces and playing a deft game at the net.

But Schnyder held her own, playing consistent groundstrokes and seizing her chances.

At 4-4 in the first set, Srebotnik was knocked to the ground by a stinging crosscourt shot that hit her in the face. Unfazed, she quickly stole a break and served out the set.

Schnyder fought back to take the second and kept up the pressure in the third, breaking at 3-3 with two fine returns of serve.

Leading 5-3, Schnyder again piled on the pressure on Srebotnik's serve and after wasting one match point she forced a backhand error from the Slovenian to secure victory.

Schnyder will play the winner of Elena Dementieva and China's Li Na in the quarter-finals.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)