Kristie Ahn waited 11 years between her first United States Open singles appearance and her next one, which began last week with three victories.

“My life has come full circle, and I feel like I can finally put the 2008 U.S. Open to rest,” said Ahn, 27, whose tournament ended with a loss to the 25th-seeded Elise Mertens, 6-1, 6-1, in a fourth-round match on Monday. Mertens will face Bianca Andreescu in the quarterfinals.

Ahn’s journey has included an unexpected kinship with Dinara Safina, the now-retired Russian player who beat Ahn, 6-3, 6-4, in the opening round in 2008.