Tennis

US Open: Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur causes first big upset with defeat of Simona Halep

Home favourite Coco Gauff eases into the second round with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 victory over France’s Leolia Jeanjean

Simona Halep of Romania reacts during her first-round defeat to Daria Snigur of Ukraine at the US Open. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Simona Halep of Romania reacts during her first-round defeat to Daria Snigur of Ukraine at the US Open. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Mon Aug 29 2022 - 22:02

Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur produced the performance of her career to upset two-time grand slam winner Simona Halep 6-2 0-6 6-4 in the first round of the US Open on Monday.

The 20-year-old Snigur showed poise beyond her years to break Halep in the opening game and again in the third as she capitalised on a mounting number of unforced errors from the Romanian.

However, Snigur’s form completely fell apart in the second set as Halep stormed through six games in 24 minutes to roars of approval from the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

But Halep, who won the Canadian Open title for the third time earlier this month before pulling out of Cincinnati with an injury, failed to maintain that momentum as she dropped her serve in the first and fifth games.

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Daria Snigur of Ukraine celebrates after defeating Simona Halep. Photograph: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images
Daria Snigur of Ukraine celebrates after defeating Simona Halep. Photograph: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

The 30-year-old broke Snigur in the eighth game to stay alive and fended off two match points in the next game.

But Snigur kept her nerve to seal victory before bursting into tears. She then formed a heart shape with her hands around the Ukrainian ribbon pinned to her shirt.

“I’m very, very, very nervous but I tried to do my best,” she said, her voice shaking, in an on-court interview. “For Ukraine, for my family … I want to say thank you, all.”

American Coco Gauff eased into the second round with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 victory over France’s Leolia Jeanjean.

Gauff, the 12th seed and home favourite, had the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium firmly behind her as she wrapped up the match in 79 minutes on the back of a strong first serve.

“I’m super excited because this is my first win on Ashe. I think this is my fourth match here on this court and it’s my first win,” she said in her on-court interview.

The 18-year-old, who was French Open runner-up earlier this year, fired eight aces and lost only two points on her first serve.