Related Articles
Flushing Meadows, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – A pair of former world No. 1s saw different fates on Thursday, as Ana Ivanovic was a second-round upset victim while two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka advanced at the U.S. Open.
Tall big-hitting Czech Karolina Pliskova stunned the eighth-seeded Serbian Ivanovic 7-5, 6-4, while a 16th-seeded Azarenka handled American Christina McHale 6-3, 6-2 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Having her best season since 2008, Ivanovic is a former French Open champion who has only ever reach one U.S. Open quarterfinal, doing so in 2012. She joined fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska as another top-10 second-round upset victim here.
Ivanovic leads the WTA with 48 match wins this year.
The two-time Australian Open titlist Azarenka appeared in the last two U.S. Open finals, losing to five-time champion Serena Williams both times. The Belarusian star is still on the mend after missing three months of action this year due to a foot injury.
Also on Day 4, 11th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta dismissed American Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-3 and 29th-seeded Aussie Casey Dellacqua overcame China’s Wang Qiang 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
