Djokovic up, Pliskova stunned; 2nd seed Kenin breezes through

Novak Djokovic overcame an early scare to move into the third round of the US Open Wednesday but top women’s seed Karolina Pliskova crashed out in the tournament’s first shock.

Djokovic extended an undefeated run in 2020 to 25 matches as Pliskova was stunned in straight sets by France’s Caroline Garcia, the world number 50.

Pliskova — the 28-year-old world number three from the Czech Republic -- suffered a miserable 1-6, 6-7 exit to a confident Garcia who rushed to a 5-0 lead in the first set.

Pliskova said her defeat was nothing to do with being elevated to the top of the draw after a host of high-ranking withdrawals over coronavirus fears.

“No, zero pressure from this for me. This is nothing to do with my loss today,” she sniffed.

In a later match, Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin breezed into round three of the US Open in straight sets on Thursday.

The number two seed dispatched unseeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 inside an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Moscow-born player will take on 27th seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the third round at the Billie Jean King US National Tennis Center.

2018 champion Naomi Osaka sailed into the third round, dismantling Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-1, 6-2 in just 1hr 9min. Sixth seed Petra Kvitova vanquished Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 while Germany’s Angelique Kerber beat compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam in straight sets.

The 17th seed won 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) in one hour 40 minutes inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Also in the women’s event, unseeded Russian Varvara Gracheva dumped out French 30th seed Kristina Mladenovic 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0.

Also playing later, Amanda Anisimova won a matchup of American teenagers, rallying past wild card Katrina Scott 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the second round of the U.S. Open.

The 19-year-old Anisimova, a surprise semifinalist at the French Open last year, steadied her game in the second set and pulled away. The 16-year-old Scott is ranked 637th and was coming off her first tour-level victory in the opening round Tuesday, when she made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

Anisimova, who is seeded 22nd, won the girls’ singles at the Open in 2017. Tsvetana Pironkova pulled off an upset to reach the third round at the US Open, her first tournament after a three-year break to focus on motherhood.

Pironkova, who has no ranking because of her layoff, beat No. 10-seeded Garbine Maguruza 7-5, 6-3.

Prior to this week, Pironkova, 32, had not played in a Grand Slam or any event since her appearance at Wimbledon in 2017, when she lost in the second round of a tournament eventually won by Muguruza. Thursday’s victory marks only the second time that Pironkova has reached the third round of the US Open in 12 appearances stretching back to 2005.

Pironkova’s best performance in a Grand Slam came in 2010, when she reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Djokovic extended an undefeated run in 2020 to 25 matches as Pliskova was stunned in straight sets by France’s Caroline Garcia, the world number 50. World number one Djokovic dropped the first against Britain’s Kyle Edmund but rallied to progress 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 inside a subdued, spectator-free Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows.

“I’m really glad having an early kind of tough match because it kind of serves me better I think for the rest of the tournament,” said Djokovic.

The Serbian superstar is looking to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent from Flushing Meadows, in the race for the all-time men’s Slam singles title record.

The 33-year-old -- who won an eighth Australian Open title in February -- is on 17, with Nadal on 19 and Federer on 20.

“No, zero pressure from this for me. This is nothing to do with my loss today,” she sniffed.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw Wednesday, fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece defeated American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 in his first runout on the famous Ashe court.

Earlier fifth seed Alexander Zverev defeated American wildcard Brandon Nakashima in a far from smooth 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-1 win.

The world number seven traded 24 aces with 10 double faults against a player ranked 223 inside an empty but and humid Louis Armstrong Stadium to move into round three.

Belgian seventh seed David Goffin also progressed as the top seeds continue to dominate at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Agence France-Presse