No.2 seed Wozniacki out of US Open

Tournament second seed Caroline Wozniacki has been dumped out of the US Open after a shock 6-4 6-2 loss to Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.

It marked the second consecutive year that the Dane, twice a US Open finalist, has failed to advance past this stage at Flushing Meadows.

The second round has been a sore point for Wozniacki of late with the former world No.1 winning just once since Eastbourne in June, falling in the second round at Wimbledon and US Open tuneup events in Montreal and Cincinnati.

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“She was playing smarter than me,” Wozniacki admitted.

“She played the game that I was supposed to be playing. I tried to play aggressive because I saw openings. The court is a little bit slower I think. I should have made better adjustments. I just didn’t.”

Lesia Tsurenko knocks out No.2 Caroline Wozniacki 64 62 to move into 3R @usopen.

Tough night for Wozniacki off the ground:

Tsurenko: 20 winners, 38 UFE
Wozniacki: 6 winners, 35 UFE

Tsurenko plays Siniakova. #USOpen

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 31, 2018

Following world No.1 Simona Halep’s first round exit, defending champion Sloane Stephens becomes the highest remaining seed in the women’s draw at No.3.

It is the first time in US Open professional-era history that the top two seeds have departed before the third round.

Wozniacki fell at this stage of last year’s US Open to Ekaterina Makarova, the same player who also beat her in Wimbledon’s second round less than two months ago.

She also fell in the fourth round at Roland Garros.

Since her Grand Slam breakthrough at the Australian Open in January and her brief return to world No.1, Wozniacki has advanced beyond the quarterfinals at just two of 13 tournaments.

Tsurenko will next face Czech Katerina Siniakova, who earlier saved a match point to beat Ajla Tomjlanovic 6-3 6-7(3) 7-6(4).

In a now-open quarter of the draw, Tsurenko and Siniakova will battle for a place in the fourth round, where the winner would meet either 13th seed Kiki Bertens of another Czech in Marketa Vondrousova.