No. 6 seed and reigning French Open champion, Li Na of China, was disappointed early at the U.S. Open by No. 53 ranked Simona Halep of Romania. It was over in two quick sets, 6-2, 7-5.
Halep was playing in only her second U.S. Open. She lost last year in the first round. That makes this a very amazing win for the 19-year-old teenager over a veteran Grand Slam champion.
Halep played a much cleaner game, committing just 19 unforced errors, compared to Li’s 54.
The second round at Flushing Meadows will be without all three of this year’s major champions. Australian Open winner Kim Clijsters withdrew because of injury, while Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova lost Monday. It’s the first time that’s happened since 1971.
After the match, Halep said: “It’s not easy to play against one Grand Slam champ because it’s very top level. I had emotion. I was nervous before the match. But I wanted just to enjoy the match, to feel the ball good, and to play my best. And it was good.”
The Grand Slam champion has struggled lately on hard courts, and she admitted she was frustrated with the early exit.
“It’s a terrible feeling,” Li said. “I mean, two years in a row (I lost) first round here, and first round at Indian Wells and Miami. Normally I like hard court a lot. But I think these two years I’m just doing (badly).”
Halep will now face No. 76 ranked Carla Suarez-Navarro of Spain.
