TEMPO.CO, New York - Third-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza was knocked out in the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday in a shocking 7-5 6-4 upset by 48th-ranked Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia.
The French Open champion has never found the same success on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts as she has on Parisian clay, where she claimed her first grand slam title in May by beating Serena Williams in the final.
In four visits to the U.S. Open, the 22-year-old Spaniard has failed to get past the second round.
Muguruza came into the year's final grand slam with a chance to knock Serena Williams from the top spot in world rankings if she could win the U.S. Open, but once again was unable to find her footing in New York.
The Spaniard, however, did not go down without a fight.
Serving for a spot in the third round at 5-1, Sevastova had two match points but could not convert as Muguruza registered the break to keep her hopes alive.
Muguruza continued to close the gap by holding serve at love then breaking the crumbling Latvian a second time to get the set back on serve.
With the match slipping away and the crowd at the massive Arthur Ashe Stadium court buzzing, Sevastova steeled her nerves collecting one more service break with a forehand crosscourt winner for the biggest win of her career.
"I was shaking a little bit at the end," admitted 26-year-old Sevastova. "A night match on Ashe. What is going to be bigger?"
REUTERS
