Djokovic advances, Pliskova, Mmoh out of U.S Open

Karolina Pliskova, the top-seeded woman, suffered a 6/1, 7/6 loss to France’s Caroline Garcia for the first major upset in the bubble that is this year’s U.S. Open.

In a sterling performance, the top-seeded man, Novak Djokovic hit 52 outright winners to defeat Kyle Edmund of Great Britain 6/7 (5), 6/3, 6/4, 6/2. However, it was the end of the tournament for Michael Mmoh, who lost to Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6/2, 6/2, 7/5.

Garcia won the opening game of the match on her serve and immediately broke Pliskova’s serve to lead 2-0. With the top seed failing to register her powerful first serves, Garcia secured two more breaks and held serve to clinch the first set 6-1 after 33 minutes of play.

Pliskova took a bathroom break before returning to serve first in the second set. The premonitions of an upset showed early as she double faulted on the first point and lost serve after a second double fault.

Garcia held to lead 2-0. Pliskova won her service game to reduce the tally and had a break point to level, but Garcia survived the threat and led 3-1.

The Czech star reduced the tally 3-2 but Garcia held her serve to extend the lead 4-2. Pliskova held serve to take the seventh game and secured her first break of serve to level four games apiece.

With her serves registering on target, Pliskova took the ninth game without dropping a point. In the 10th game, Garcia trailed 15-40 on her serve. On the first break opportunity and set point for Pliskova, a forehand service return barely missed the sideline. The French woman battled to deuce and then hit a second service ace to level 5-5.

The two players held serve to reach 6-6. In the ensuing tiebreak, the top seed lost the first point on her serve while a second mini-break gave Garcia a 4-2 lead. After the changeover, Garcia reeled off three points to win the set and match.

In the third round, she will face Jennifer Brady, who defeated fellow American Catherine Bellis 6/1, 6/2.