NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic overcame an early scare to move into the third round of the US Open Wednesday but top women’s seed Karolina Pliskova crashed out in the tournament’s first shock.

Djokovic extended an undefeated run in 2020 to 25 matches as Pliskova was stunned in straight sets by France’s Caroline Garcia, the world number 50.

World number one Djokovic dropped the first against Britain’s Kyle Edmund but rallied to progress 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 inside a subdued, spectator-free Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows.

Pliskova — the 28-year-old world number three from the Czech Republic — suffered a miserable 1-6, 6-7 exit to a confident Garcia who rushed to a 5-0 lead in the first set.

Pliskova said her defeat was nothing to do with being elevated to the top of the draw after a host of high-ranking withdrawals over coronavirus fears.

“No, zero pressure from this for me. This is nothing to do with my loss,” she sniffed.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw on Wednesday, fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece defeated American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-4 in his first run-out on the famous Ashe court.

Earlier fifth seed Alexander Zverev defeated American wildcard Brandon Nakashima in a far from smooth 7-5, 6-7 (8-10), 6-3, 6-1 win.

The world number seven traded 24 aces with 10 double faults against a player ranked 223 inside an empty but and humid Louis Armstrong Stadium to move into round three.

Belgian seventh seed David Goffin also progressed as the top seeds continue to dominate at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

In the women’s draw, 2018 champion Naomi Osaka sailed into the third round, dismantling Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-1, 6-2 in just one hour nine minutes.

Sixth seed Petra Kvitova vanquished Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 while Germany’s Angelique Kerber beat compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam in straight sets.

The 17th seed won 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) in one hour 40 minutes inside Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Also in the women’s event, unseeded Russian Varvara Gracheva dumped out French 30th seed Kristina Mladenovic 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-0.

Mladenovic’s exit came after a remarkable collapse. The Frenchwoman led 6-1, 5-1 and failed to convert four match points as Gracheva came roaring back to win.

The US Open is taking place in a spectator-free bubble, resulting in a staid atmosphere in contrast with the usual frenetic energy that pervades the grounds of the tennis center during Open week.

Game-winning points are being met with the odd clap from coaches and admiring glances from rival players watching from their own personal suites in Arthur Ashes.

Crowd noise is piped-in between sets while images of spectators cheering from their sofas at home are shown on ‘fan cams’ around the Arthur Ashe court.

Collated results on Wednesday (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles:

Second round: 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt Kyle Edmund (Great Britain) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; 28-Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) bt Michael Mmoh (US) 6-2, 6-2, 7-5; 20-Pablo Carreno-Busta (Spain) bt Mitchell Krueger (US) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2; Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania) bt Steve Johnson (US) 7-5, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-1); 12-Denis Shapovalov (Canada) bt Kwon Soon-woo (South Korea) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; 19-Taylor Fritz (US) bt Gilles Simon (France) 7-5, 6-3, 6-2; 26-Filip Krajinovic (Serbia) bt Marcos Giron (US) 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; 7-David Goffin (Belgium) bt Lloyd Harris (South Africa) 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; 4-Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) bt Maxime Cressy (US) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-4; 27-Borna Coric (Croatia) bt Juan Ignacio Londero (Argentina) 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-3; Jordan Thompson (Australia) bt Egor Gerasimov (Belarus) 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan) bt 13-Christian Garin (Chile) 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5; Cameron Norrie (Great Britain) bt Federico Coria (Argentina) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Alejandro Davidovich (Spain) bt 24-Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2; 32-Adrian Mannarino (France) bt Jack Sock (US) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, 6-2; 5-Alexander Zverev (Germany) bt Brandon Nakashima (US) 7-5, 6-7 (8-10), 6-3, 6-1.

Women’s singles:

Second round: Caroline Garcia (France) bt 1-Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) 6-1, 7-6 (7-2); 28-Jennifer Brady (US) bt Catherine Bellis (US) 6-1, 6-2; 17-Angelique Kerber (Germany) bt Anna-Lena Friedsam (Germany) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6); Ann Li (US) bt 13-Alison Riske (US) 6-0, 6-3; Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) bt 12-Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) 6-1, 6-2; 23-Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan) bt Vera Lapko (Belarus) 6-3, 6-3; Varvara Gracheva (Russia) bt 30-Kristina Mladenovic (France) 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-0; 8-Petra Martic (Croatia) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukraine) 6-3, 6-4; 4-Naomi Osaka (Japan) bt Camila Giorgi (Italy) 6-1, 6-2; Marta Kostyuk (Ukraine) bt 31-Anastasija Sevastova (Latvia) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); 24-Magda Linette (Poland) bt Danka Kovinic (Montenegro) 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-4); 14-Anett Kontaveit (Estonia) bt Kaja Juvan (Slovenia) 6-4, 6-1 Shelby Rogers (US) bt 11-Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) 7-5, 6-1; Madison Brengle (US) bt 19-Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine) 6-2, 6-3; Jessica Pegula (US) bt Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (3-7), 6-3; 6-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) bt Kateryna Kozlova (Ukraine) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2020