Karolina Pliskova crashes out of US Open with defeat to Caroline Garcia

The US Open’s No 1 seed, Karolina Pliskova, is out of the tournament after a 6-1, 7-6 (2) defeat to France’s Caroline Garcia in the second round.

Pliskova summoned a single winner in a dismal first-set performance, trailing 5-0 and losing the set 6-1. The world No 3, top seed in the absence of Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep, fought back from a break down in the second set, and had set points to level the match in the 10th game – but Garcia found a crucial ace to set up a tie-break.

Garcia, the current world No 50, has previously been ranked as high as fourth in the world, and she dominated the second-set breaker, winning 7-2 to set up a clash with the No 28 seed, American Jennifer Brady. Pliskova’s exit means that only three of the world’s top 10 – Sofia Kenin, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka – are still in the draw.

The No 6 seed Petra Kvitova overcame a rocky start to defeat Kateryna Kozlova 7-6 (3), 6-2 in her second-round match. Kvitova struggled on her serve in the first set, but improved in the second set to see off her Ukrainian opponent. Afterwards, the 30-year-old said he had struggled with nerves.

“I was really fighting a little bit – the opponent but with myself as well. There was a lot of nerves over there,” Kvitova said. “I was really tight [in the first set] and I made some easy mistakes. In the second set I think I really played a good one. I served much better. I was hitting clearly, not that many mistakes.”

A number of lower seeds also fell on Wednesday, with former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova (No 12) losing 6-1, 6-2 to Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Home hopeful Alison Riske (No 13) was beaten 6-0, 6-3 by compatriot Ann Li, while No 11 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazahstan lost 7-5 6-1 to another US player, Shelby Rogers.

Naomi Osaka, the 2018 champion, needed only 70 minutes to dispense of Camila Giorgi in the second round, a superb showing tht left her mother, Tamaki, virtually applauding.

Shortly after Osaka’s 6-1, 6-2 win in Arthur Ashe Stadium came a congratulatory conversation by remote with her mother, who was shown on a courtside video screen.

“Hi! What are you doing?” Osaka said.

The audio connection wasn’t great, but Mom clapped.

“Oh my gosh,” Osaka said.

Her mom, who is Japanese, also held up a sheet of images, which Osaka later deciphered.

“She’s saying, the first one is, ‘Good job,’ and then the second one is, ‘Don’t do Instagram and Twitter and instead go to sleep,’” Osaka said. “And then the third one is, ‘Drink green juice and get some rest,’ and then the fourth one is, ‘I love you.”’

Osaka, who is seeded fourth, advanced while committing only 11 unforced errors.

source: theguardian.com