Zvonareva's epic meltdown; more lessons from Day 7

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Flavia Pennetta became the first Italian ever to be ranked in the top 10 last month; next she will face Serena Williams in the quarters. Jim McIsaac/Getty Images 2009 U.S. Open Day 15 Richard Deitsch: Del Potro emerges Jon Wertheim: Reaction to upset Del Potro stuns Federer to win first major Game-by-game analysis of the final Wertheim: Fifty parting shots More Coverage Day 14 Coverage ------------------- Comeback Kim: Clijsters wins Open title No. 6 Del Potro dominates ailing Nadal Trick shot helps Federer down Djokovic Richard Deitsch: Clijsters' feel-good story S.L. Price: Federer at ease with title in sight Jon Wertheim: Serena way out of line   Day 13 Coverage ------------------- Serena loses cool, then semifinal match Wozniacki makes first Grand Slam final Richard Deitsch: Serena melts down   Day 12 Coverage ------------------- Rain wreaks havoc on schedule   Day 11 Coverage ------------------- Del Potro rallies past Cilic into semifinals Williams sisters advance to doubles final Unseeded duo wins mixed doubles title Jon Wertheim: Another feel-good story   Day 10 Coverage ------------------- Wozniacki ends Oudin's run in quarterfinals Federer reaches 22nd straight major semi Djokovic overcomes Verdasco in quarters S.L. Price: Oudin's time just beginning   Day 9 Coverage ------------------- Murray upset; Clijsters, Serena, Nadal win Jon Wertheim: Major letdown for Murray   Day 8 Coverage ------------------- Isner eliminated; Federer rolls on Oudin rallies to reach quarterfinals Jon Wertheim: Drama in women's draw   Day 7 Coverage ------------------- Clijsters stuns Venus, comeback rolls on Jon Wertheim: Storylines for Week 2 Kevin Armstrong: Zvonareva melts down Jon Wertheim: Another Roddick near miss   Day 6 Coverage ------------------- Isner outlasts No. 5 Roddick Andrew Lawrence: Isner closes the deal Kevin Armstrong: Oudin keeps rolling Jon Wertheim: Midterm grades   Day 5 Coverage ------------------- Nadal wins; top men's seeds make history Williams sisters storm on to Round 4 Jon Wertheim: Men's top seed on a roll S.L. Price: A fresh face for big stage   Day 4 Coverage ------------------- Oudin, 17, upsets No. 4 Dementieva Roddick rolls on a big day for Americans Emotional loss for grief-stricken Jankovic Jon Wertheim: U.S. teen impresses   Day 3 Coverage ------------------- Venus, Nadal breeze; Safin, Santoro done Jon Wertheim: Hewitt finds grace S.L. Price: In defense of Marat Safin Jon Wertheim: A day for goodbyes   Day 2 Coverage ------------------- Murray, Sharapova advance; Ivanovic out Jon Wertheim: Positive signs for U.S. Kevin Armstrong: Ivanovic falling fast Bryan Graham: Open, from A to Z   Day 1 Coverage ------------------- Federer, Serena cruise; Venus survives Jon Wertheim: Clijsters a contender Kevin Armstrong: Venus shaky in victory   Podcasts/Video ------------------- Audio: Wertheim on Day 3 matches Audio: Wertheim's early impressions Video: SI at the U.S. Open Party Video: U.S. Open Experience Audio: Wertheim's U.S. Open Preview SI Photos Roger Federer's Amazing Trick Shot Iconic images of the U.S. Open

NEW YORK -- What we learned on the seventh day into night ...

1. File this one under "M" for Meltdown. Sunday night started smoothly for Vera Zvonareva. The seventh-ranked Russian took the first set 6-3 against Italy's Flavia Pennetta, reached match point six times in the second set and appeared poised to advance. Then, she unraveled. The long, physical rallies wore on her knees -- both of which were mummified with tape before the match -- but it was her failure to close out the match that opened Pandora's Box. In between sets, Pennetta remained on the court for a trainer to knead her lower back as Zvonareva retreated to the tunnel beneath the stands to cry hysterically. Two lost points into the third set she began to unwrap the support on her left leg, saying it was too tight. The chair umpire refused her request to use scissors to cut the tape before a change of sides. She slipped on a swing, and slapped her right knee three times, ripping off more tape. As Pennetta stroked winners, Zvonareva's head -- more than her knees -- proved to be on the mend. The final set ended 6-0. "She was just angry because of the tiebreak," Pennetta said, noting she had seen similar hysterics before. "With six match points, it's quite normal."

2. Flavia is the flavor of the summer. The 27-year-old became the first Italian ever to be ranked in the top 10 last month, and she doesn't appear ready to stop her ascent. Since Wimbledon, she is 26-4, moving well and mixing various looks. She forced Zvonareva to run down winners in the 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-0 win. Her serve was not steady but her strategy and stamina won out. She will need to summon both if she wants to get past Serena Williams in the quarters.

3. Taylor Dent left an impression. The serve-and-volley star exited quietly with his straight-sets loss to Andy Murray, but the echoes of his five-set, four-hour win Friday night can still be heard in the Grandstand. Dent fell out of the world rankings after a serious back injury and complex spinal surgery in 2007, but impressed many with his return and ability to still blast a 146 mph serve that electrified the crowd against Murray.

4. Last year's dark horse is the year's Black Beauty. Juan Martin del Potro was nimble around the net, powerful from the baseline and spotted 20 aces in his 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Daniel Koellerer. Dressed in a black shirt and shorts, his look is meant to make the statement that he is all business. On serve, the 20-year-old Argentine consistently dialed up aces higher than 130 mph -- including one 134 mph service winner that busted the strings on Koellerer's racket. Star this pony for a backstretch run in your prospectus.