Tennis: Petra Kvitova became the first reigning Wimbledon champion to lose in the first round of the US Open in the Open era today when she went down 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 to Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania.
The Czech has had a difficult time since beating Maria Sharapova in the final at the All England Club in July, winning only two matches, and she looked shaky from the start at Flushing Meadows.
In contrast, world number 49 Dulgheru played a very solid match and, after breaking Kvitova to lead 5-3 in the second set, she served out the victory to love.
In other matches, Germany’s Julia Goerges, the 19th seed, eased to a 6-3 6-2 victory over compatriot Kristina Barrois while 27th seed Lucie Safarova came from a set down to beat Magdalena Rybarikova 2-6 6-3 6-2.
Britain's Laura Robson advanced to the second round when Japanese opponent Ayumi Morita retired with the British teenager leading 7-6 (7/5) 1-0.
Morita called for the trainer after the first game of the second set and, after a brief assessment of what appeared to be a right shoulder injury, she decided she could no longer continue.
During the hour and one minute of play, 17-year-old qualifier Robson competed well with Morita, ranked 46th in the world, and had just broken the Japanese player's serve for the fourth time when play was halted.
Robson was playing in the main draw of the US Open for the first time after coming through qualifying and certainly looked more relaxed than she had during her victories over Taylor Townsend and Ling Zhang on Friday.
Her forehand in particular was firing well and she broke Morita at the first attempt to move 2-0 in front. The teenager is still very much a work in progress, though. Her power and big first serve are major weapons but she struggles for consistency in all areas of her game.
The errors began to flow from Robson's racquet, allowing the smaller but steadier Morita to rattle off four games in a row, but one thing the British youngster certainly does not lack is fighting spirit.
Back she came, breaking for 4-4 when Morita threw in a double fault, only to lose her serve for a third time to leave the Japanese player serving for the set.
Robson possesses a rare talent for upping her level when it really matters and a stunning backhand gave her two break-back points, and she took the second to set up a tie-break.
That was as tight and unpredictable as the rest of the set, with mini-breaks aplenty, but it was a moment of fortune for Robson, as a net cord dropped on the line, that proved crucial, the Londoner clinching the game with a big serve. And moments later the match was over, with Robson making it through to the second round of a grand slam for only the second time after her three-set victory over Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon in June.
The 17-year-old will player either Spanish 30th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues or Italy's Karin Knapp in round two.
Robson had mixed feelings about the nature of the result and was taken by surprise when Morita called it a day.
The British number four said: "I didn't realise she had a shoulder problem until she walked to the chair after the first set, and I noticed she was talking to her coach and there were some actions going on.
"Then I thought maybe there was something wrong but I definitely didn't think she was going to retire.
"I'm obviously really happy to be through to the second round but I know Ayumi pretty well through adidas so I'm really disappointed for her."
Of the set they did manage, Robson, who was wearing the same outfit as her opponent, said: "It was up and down. I just kept trying to refocus and hang in there and stick to the game-plan that I had, and that worked out in the end."
The 17-year-old felt her experiences in qualifying, where she had trailed 15-year-old Townsend 5-2 in the deciding set before turning things around, helped her handle the occasion.
Robson added: "I wasn't that nervous. I always get much more nervous at Wimbledon just because it's a much bigger occasion for me but I think it has helped a lot that I've already played three matches here."