NEW YORK (AP) — Svetlana Kuznetsova lost her first-round match at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2005, the year she was the tournament’s defending champion.
Kuznetsova, seeded 20th this time, was beaten 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3) on Tuesday by 82nd-ranked Marina Erakovic of New Zealand.
“It’s disappointing, it’s shocking, to lose (in the) first round,” said Kuznetsova, who won a hard-court tuneup tournament in Washington this month.
“I was not moving my feet, was not doing anything. And then, of course, she (started) to believe,” Kuznetsova said. “In the end, it was just horrible.”
The 29-year-old Russian is a two-time major champion: She won titles at Flushing Meadows in 2004 and at the French Open in 2009.
Erakovic, meanwhile, has never been past the third round at a Grand Slam event and was 0-4 at the U.S. Open until Tuesday.
Kuznetsova was asked whether this year’s tournament was special to her, because it is the 10th anniversary of her title in New York.
“I didn’t care,” she replied. “It’s one more U.S. Open.”
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