Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova faced a surprising defeat in the second round of the U.S. Open, losing to Elena-Gabriela Ruse in straight sets. Krejcikova, seeded No. 8, had clinched her second Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon earlier this summer but had not played any matches post the Paris Olympics. Despite feeling her game was improving, Krejcikova fell short against Ruse, who had gained valuable experience on the hard courts during the qualifying rounds.
Ruse, a 26-year-old from Romania, expressed her admiration for Krejcikova's skills and was thrilled to advance to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time. She will now face No. 26 seed Paula Badosa, who defeated Taylor Townsend in straight sets to reach the next round. Badosa, a Spaniard born in New York, is enjoying a successful run at the U.S. Open.
On a scorching day in New York, two men's matches ended prematurely due to players retiring. Frances Tiafoe and Tallen Griekspoor advanced as their opponents stopped playing mid-match. Jiri Lehecka staged an impressive comeback, overcoming a two-set deficit to defeat Mitchell Krueger in a grueling four-hour battle.
Meanwhile, past U.S. Open finalists Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev cruised to victory in straight sets. Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen also secured a win after a tough three-set match. In the women's draw, Madison Keys and Elise Mertens advanced to the third round with convincing wins.
Defending champions Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic were set to compete in their matches on Wednesday night, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
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