US Open 2018: Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova kncoked out

Angelique Kerber argues about a decision while playing against Dominika Cibulkova. Pic/AFP

Defending champion Sloane Stephens is the sole remaining top-six seed left in the women's singles at the US Open after a day of upsets at Flushing Meadows. Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber and fifth seed Petra Kvitova both fell on Louis Armstrong Stadium, which is rapidly establishing itself as a graveyard of champions, while sixth seed Caroline Garcia also lost 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (7/4) to Carla Navarro. Kerber was dumped by Dominika Cibulkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Kvitova was the last victim of the day, the two-time Wimbledon champion overpowered by the hottest player of the moment: Aryna Sabalenka, 20, who won 7-5, 6-1. The Belarusian was not ranked highly enough to get into the tournament 12 months ago but has soared into the top 20 and won her first WTA Tour title in New Haven on the eve of the tournament.

Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova returns to Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka during their US Open third round match on Saturday. Pic/AFP

She has now won 12 of her last 13 matches, and Sabalenka said: "I am so happy with that. I didn't say to myself, 'I have to win this 6-1'. I was like, 'keep fighting, keep going'. Everything was going in." Kvitova struggled on serve, hitting 10 double faults, but praised Sabalenka, saying: "I had my chances in the first set. I took it then I lost it again then she took it all the way.

After that she just played
really fearless and really aggressive, which I didn't have the answer for." The Czech has won five WTA titles this season but only four matches across the four Grand Slams. She said: "The French Open I was a bit tired. The Australian Open and Wimbledon were similar, I didn't really play fearless, I was a bit passive and I didn't have the confidence that I needed and I put a lot of pressure on myself.

"I really tried to change it for this grand slam, which I think I did quite well. Hopefully I find a way. I just need to work on it." Kerber's exit, joining Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki, means there will be four different Grand Slam champions for the second year in a row.

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