US Open: Simona Halep dumped out in the first round after being stunned by qualifier Daria Snigur

ByEurosport

Updated 30/08/2022 at 08:03 GMT

Simona Halep, who now works with Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou, was one of the favourites to win the US Open at Flushing Meadows this year, but the Romanian world No. 7 was stunned in the first round as she was knocked out by Ukrainian qualifer Daria Snigur in three sets. Snigur was playing in her first-ever first-round match in a Grand Slam.

Seventh seed Simona Halep suffered a first round US Open exit at the hands of qualifier Daria Snigur of Ukraine in the biggest shock of the opening day at Flushing Meadows.

The Romanian collapsed to a 2-6 6-0 3-6 defeat against the world No. 124, as her dreams of claiming a third Grand Slam singles title unexpectedly went up in smoke.

Snigur, 20, took the opening set in impressive fashion, but Halep recovered by bageling her opponent and appeared to have momentum on her side going into the decider.

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However, it was the Ukrainian who took the initiative, breaking Halep’s serve twice on her way to a memorable victory in her Grand Slam main draw debut.

It was Snigur’s first tour-level match win in her first meeting with a top-10 ranked player, and it earned her a second-round clash with Magdalena Frech or Rebecca Marino.

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"I’m very happy. I want to say thanks to Simona for a such a great match, it was a great experience for me - it’s impossible to play against Simona and win! I want to say thanks to all the fans who watched our match today,” said Snigur.

"I was very very nervous but I tried to do my best. This match is for my Ukraine, for my family, for my fans, I want to say thank you to all.”

Snigur got off to a fast start, breaking Halep in the opening game and earning another break of serve on her way to taking the first set 6-2.

But Halep, who made the Wimbledon semi-finals earlier this summer and warmed up for the US Open by winning in Toronto, roared back in the second set by winning every game.

Daria Snigur

Image credit: Getty Images

Snigur wasn’t discouraged though, as the Ukrainian - the 2019 Wimbledon junior champion - bounced back with an early break in the decider.

She then secured a second break of serve to take a big lead, but Halep responded with a break and hold of her own to leave the match finely balanced at 5-4.

Snigur made no mistake, though, seizing her third match-point chance on serve when Halep’s backhand found the net.

The 20-year-old looked stunned as the scale of her stunning achievement sunk in.

'DISAPPOINTING FOR HALEP'

Barbara Schett: "It’s a big disappointment for Halep to lose against Snigur, for whom it was the first time in the main draw at a Grand Slam – nobody saw that coming.

"I felt like Simona made a lot of unforced errors today. I thought this was the year that I thought she could so some damage.

"She won the tournament in Toronto so I thought this could be her time but it seems like the US Open and Simona Halep never seem to go well together.

"She just has to look ahead to next year, hopefully she stays motivated, she has found her passion for tennis again and it’s about going back to the practice and looking forwards. But there’s no doubt this was disappointing."

Mats Wilander: "We didn’t see it coming but Daria Snigur has a very unorthodox style so she’s not easy to play against on a hard court especially.

"Simona looks to me like she really wants to win but maybe the drive, the need to win matches is not quite as strong as when she was younger.

"Today, it was hot, it was tough, she has had some early losses in the US Open in the past – this is most probably her worst major I think. Am I surprised, of course? Disappointing for sure."

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