Sports Narrator Andy Taylor | The Voice of the US Open | US OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
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[2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) def Sam Stosur (AUS) | 63 62
Terrible day at the service line for Sam Stosur.
It’s been a rough season for the 2011 Champion. Once ranked as high as World #4 – after her 3rd Round exit at Roland Garros back in June, she dropped out of the WTA’s top-100 for the first time in 10-years. Injuries kept her away from the grass and US hard court swings last year, and with no points to defend, she plummeted.
Last week in New Haven, she was forced to play through qualifying, and fell in the final round to Italy’s Camila Giori. Then, as a lucky loser, she lost to World #26 Aryna Sabalenka in the main draw’s 1st-Round.
In her 13th career clash with Wozniacki, Stosur simply struggled to find rhythm on serve. In set-1’s seventh game, Sam gave up three double faults, gifting Caroline with her second break of the match. Then, down a set and 2-5, Sam fell behind 0-40, giving up the victory with double fault number eight.
Stosur actually generated most of the match highlights, earning 25-winners to Wozniacki’s 11. But Sam’s service struggles forced her to take chances, and 34 unforced errors proved too many. Caroline kept a tidy stat sheet, with only 11 unforced errors, 1 double fault, converting five of nine break opportunities.
Caroline’s forgettable Summer
2-time US Open Finalist Caroline Wozniacki may have captured her first Slam at this year’s Australian Open, but the Summer has been one to forget. Since winning her 29th career Singles title 2-months-ago in Eastbourne, a left knee injury has hampered results.
She’s won only one match this Summer – a 1st-Round victory over American Varvara Lepchenko -97- at Wimbledon. In Round-2, she fell to Ekaterina Makarova -35-. After withdrawing from Washington D.C., Aryna Sabalenka -39- and Kiki Bertens -17- ended Caroline’s runs early in Montreal and Cincinnati respectively.
Sam Stosur let the World #2 off the hook with Tuesday’s service struggles…something Caroline’s 2nd-Round opponent also can’t afford.
NEXT: Lesia Tsurenko -36- (UKR)
In Round-2, Caroline Wozniacki faces Ukraine’s Lesia Tsukenko, who won her first match in straight-sets over Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium. Tsurenko comes into the Open after defeating World #9 Garbine Muguruza in Cincinnati’s 2nd-Round. She went on to reach the Quarterfinals, where she fell in straight-sets to World #1 Simona Halep.
The two have played only once before, five-years-ago in the 3rd Round of the 2013 Australian Open. Caroline won in straight-sets 64 63.
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[2] Caroline Wozniacki -02- (DEN)
In January, this 2-time US Open Finalist won the biggest title of her career, capturing the 2018 Australian Open title. With the victory, she regained the World #1 ranking, and has now held the sport’s top position for a remarkable 71-weeks. In 2009, she reached her first Grand Slam Final right here in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and 5-years-later – reached the championship match again. Earlier this Summer, she won her 29th career Singles title in Eastbourne; and last November, captured the year-end championship at the WTA Finals with wins over four of the sport’s top-5 players. From Denmark, please welcome 2-time US Open Finalist and the #2 Player in the World, Caroline Wozniacki.
Sam Stosur -64- (AUS)
In 2011, she was unstoppable here in Flushing, and on a Saturday Night at the end of week-2 – she lifted her first Grand Slam Singles trophy, defeating Serena Williams to win the 2011 US Open title. It was her second Grand Slam Singles Final – the year prior, she defeated a pair of top-5 players to reach the championship match at Roland Garros. In 2005, she captured her first Grand Slam DOUBLES title here in Arthur Ashe Stadium; and between Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles – is a 6-time Grand Slam Champion. Overall, she owns 9 WTA Singles titles, 24 Doubles titles, and has been ranked as high as World #4 in Singles and World #1 in Doubles. From Australia, please welcome 2-time US Open Champion, Sam Stosur