US Open 2015: Sam Stosur last Aussie standing after making fourth round with win over Sara Errani

FORMER champion Samantha Stosur is the last Australian singles hope at the US Open after reaching the last 16 for the first time in four years.

Stosur the last Aussie standing

SAM Stosur has fought through to the second week of the US Open in her best result at the tournament in three years.

She becomes Australia’s last surviving hope in the grand slam, with the number 22 seed now preparing to go head to head with a player she’s never before beaten.

Stosur will play Italian Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round on Sunday.

When asked what she would need to do to win, Stosur replied “something I have never done before”.

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“I have never beaten her before. I think we have played six times. I need to knuckle down and be clear with what I want to do and what tactics are going to work for me.”

When explaining what she found so difficult about playing Pennetta, Stosur replied: “she can take away some of my weapons, which is why I find it very hard”.

Stosur defeated Italian Sara Errani in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.

Down in the second set, Stosur said “I kind of lost my way, and she just got control of the match again”.

Stosur — who freely admits to getting nervous when it matters most — said she calmed herself down in the changeover to the third set.

“I just kind of sat there and told myself to calm down and really talk about what was going on and focus my serve games,” she said.

Advancing to the fourth round marks Stosur’s best result at the US Open since 2012 when she reached the quarter-finals.