US Open: Daria Snigur dashes Simona Halep’s hopes; Daria Kasatkina stumbles out

There were only two upsets on Monday, the first day of play at the 2022 US Open. Seventh seed Simona Halep and 10th seed Daria Kasatkina crashed out at the hands of Daria Snigur and Harriet Dart, respectively.

Snigur, a qualifier from Ukraine stunned Halep 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 in 100 minutes. It came down to the barest of margins between the two as Snigur had 11 winners to Halep’s 13 and only three fewer unforced errors than the Romanian’s 30.

The former world no. 1 who won the title in Toronto still continues to struggle at Flushing Meadows. In the last six years, Halep’s lost in the first round on two previous occasions – in 2017 and 2018. Last year, she’d reached the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Snigur will play Rebecca Marino next. The Canadian got past Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-3 in the first round.

US Open: Daria Kasatkina’s highs turn into lows

Britain’s Dart got through against Kasatkina 7-6(8), 1-6, 6-3 in two hours and 31 minutes. Dart had 63 unforced errors for the match, 19 more than Kasatkina’s 44. But she also finished with 12 more winners than her opponent’s 24.

For Kasatkina, who came to New York after winning the title in Canada (Granby Open), the loss will be quite disappointing. Meanwhile, for Dart, the win means she will play Dalma Galfi. The Hungarian defeated Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz, 6-4, 6-3.

Defending finalist Leylah Fernandez also got her 2022 US Open campaign underway with a win on Monday evening. The Canadian best Oceane Dodin, 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 12 minutes. Fernandez’s confident ball-striking frustrated Dodin for most parts of the match although the Frenchwoman was able to assert herself on the court on a couple of occasions. Fernandez did concede her serve twice – once across each set but Dodin’s struggles with her own serve ensured Fernandez wasn’t discomfited. In the second round, Fernandez will now play Liudmila Samsonova. Samsonova defeated Czech qualifier, Sara Bejlek, 6-3, 6-1.

Photo Credit: New York Post

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(15) Beatriz Haddad Maia d. Ana Konjuh 6-0, 6-0
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Xiyu Wang d. Diane Parry 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
(5) Ons Jabeur d. Madison Brengle 7-5, 6-2
(W) Elizabeth Mandlik d. Tamara Zidansek 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-4
(Q) Viktoria Kuzmova d. Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-3, 6-4
(31) Shelby Rogers d. Arantxa Rus 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
(18) Veronika Kudermetova d. Donna Vekic 7-5, 6-3
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