Iga Swiatek바카라s U.S. Open title defense ended with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round on Sunday night.
The loss also means Swiatek바카라s stay at No. 1 in the WTA rankings will end next week, when current No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will rise to the top spot for the first time.
Swiatek바카라s shots were off-target in Arthur Ashe Stadium and she had a difficult time handling the hard hitting from the 20th-seeded Ostapenko, who won the 2017 French Open.
바카라I knew I have to play my game,바카라 Ostapenko said after accumulating 31 winners to 18 for Swiatek. 바카라I knew I have to be aggressive, because that바카라s what she doesn바카라t really like.바카라
This was not necessarily a huge surprise, based on their previous matchups: Ostapenko has now improved to 4-0 against Swiatek over their careers. No other player owns four victories against the woman who has led the WTA rankings since April 2022.
바카라I was just thinking that I have to play until the very last point, until we shake hands,바카라 Ostapenko said. 바카라I didn바카라t really give her many chances.바카라
After getting off to a terrific start to the second set, which she led 4-1, Ostapenko wavered for a bit. That allowed Swiatek to get a break back and pull within 4-3.
But that was only a blip.
With Swiatek having trouble serving 바카라 perhaps owing to all of the squeaking Ostapenko바카라s shoes did as she moved around during the ball toss while waiting to return 바카라 the contest quickly tilted in one direction. Ostapenko reeled off seven consecutive games to go up 5-0 in the third set.
Ostapenko broke one last time to end it, meaning she won seven of Swiatek바카라s 13 service games in the match.
Ostapenko바카라s first quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows will come against Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old American who eliminated Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 earlier Sunday.
Ostapenko and Gauff have split two previous meetings. The most recent came in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, and Ostapenko won that one.
바카라She바카라s a great young player,바카라 Ostapenko said about Gauff. 바카라Of course it바카라s going to be another tough match. I don바카라t expect any easy matches at a Grand Slam.바카라
