01 September,2010 09:45 AM IST | | AFP
Chinese eighth seed Li Na became the first major upset victim at the US Open yesterday.
Li, the highest Chinese seed in Grand Slam history, lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko. The Australian Open semi-finalist had not lost a Grand Slam opener since the 2006 Australian Open.
Li said: "It was sad to lose in the first round. I just have to forget everything and practice again and hope I come back."
Li breezed through the first set in 31 minutes but wilted in the afternoon heat while Bondarenko, ranked 59th, showed the form that made her a US Open quarter-finalist last year for her best career Grand Slam showing. "It was so hot," Li said. "I felt good in the first set. The second set, I felt like I died. The energy just faded."
Other Results
A Rezai bt M Rybarikova 7-6, 7-6; S Kuznetsova bt K Date-Krumm 6-2, 4-6, 6-1; B Capra bt K Sprem 6-1, 6-3; Y Wickmayer bt A Kudryavtseva 6-1, 6-2; A Radwanska bt AP Santonja 6-4, 6-3.
