Teenager Victoria Mboko was thrashed 6-3 6-2 by former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the first round of the US Open.
Mboko stunned the tennis world earlier this month by winning the Canadian Open but a wrist injury appeared to hamper her performance against a ruthless Krejcikova.
The 18-year-old also had tape on the palm of her hand which she took off midway through the second set but was unable to hit the impressive heights that saw her beat Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka three weeks ago.
“That wrist was a real problem and I hope she takes care of it,” said Sky Sports’ Martina Navratilova:
“There’s a lot of body parts you need but you must have a healthy wrist to play tennis.
“If it was that bad, why play at all? Again, we don’t know which part was sore but clearly it hampered her.”
Victoria Mboko lost in straight sets to Barbora Krejcikova
Mboko was broken immediately after two double faults on her first service game and continued to make a clutter of unforced errors on both wings.
She had an opportunity at 3-2 down to break Krejcikova back but could not take them and was instead broken for a second time at the end of the set.
Further double faults early in the second set put Krejcikova firmly in control as Mboko never got close to breaking back. Similarly to the first set, Mboko was broken again and this time it sealed Krejcikova’s spot in the second round, where she will play Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.
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Highlights of the National Bank Open final between Victoria Mboko and Naomi Osaka
“It’s huge what she [Mboko] achieved already and how well she played in Montreal. I was really happy she won, so good luck to her in the future,” said Krejcikova.
“My game was really good today and overall it’s improving, so I’m happy with that.”
Kvitova’s career comes to an end
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Highlights from the US Open clash between Petra Kvitova and Diane Parry
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova’s tennis career is over after she lost 6-1 6-0 to France’s Diane Perry.
The 35-year-old announced ahead in June that the US Open would be her last tournament and was comfortably beaten by Perry.
Kvitova beat Maria Sharapova in 2011 to win her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon and beat Eugenie Bouchard in 2014 to win her second Wimbledon title.
An emotional Kvitova cried with her team after Monday’s game.
“I didn’t expect myself either [to cry] but since I woke up this morning, I felt it. I felt it would be not good. I couldn’t eat. I was really nervous. But in different way, I would say,” she said.
“I couldn’t move, I couldn’t swing, I couldn’t do anything! It was really difficult. I never have a thing that I will be knowing I’m playing my last match, most probably, like probably, which in the end it was very clear.
“It was really difficult to even, like, imagine. It was something new, and it was for the last time as well, so I will now take the experience from it. Yeah, I’m glad I did it. I think it’s just ending everything.”
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