Simona Halep played through the pain barrier in comeback win over Sabine Lisicki

Simona Halep has revealed that she fought through the pain barrier to defeat Sabine Lisicki in her fourth-round clash at the US Open.

The number two seed was forced to come from a set down to beat the German to book her place in the quarter-finals, and the Romanian has conceded that she was far from her best as she struggled with cramp during the contest.

Halep told reporters: "I didn't play my best, but I played good enough to win. It was a very tough match, just as I expected. I am very happy I could win.

"At one point my back was cramping, then the leg was worse. I do still feel pain, but tomorrow I have a day off and thus I have time to recover.

"I really hope I am going to be okay to play the next match. It will be tough, but at this point I feel like I have nothing to lose, so I am just going to go on court and enjoy the match."

Halep will face Victoria Azarenka in the last eight of the competition.