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US Open: The 4 defending champions to lose in Round 1 – as Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff avoid Emma Raducanu’s…see more
US Open: The 4 defending champions to lose in Round 1 – as Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff avoid Emma Raducanu’s fate
The US Open is underway in some style, with both defending champions kickstarting their campaigns in style.
Coco Gauff cruised past Varvara Gracheva to begin the defence of her women’s singles title, while Novak Djokovic was in sublime form as he saw off Radu Albot in his mission for a fifth US Open crown.
Gauff and Djokovic may have easily navigated the start of their title defences – but not every former champion has been so lucky.
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We look back at the four reigning US Open champions who have been beaten in round one of their title defences.
Pat Rafter – 1999
Former world No 1 Rafter became the first player in history to be defeated in the opening round of his US Open title defence 25 years ago.
The greatest successes of the Australian’s career came at Flushing Meadows, beating Greg Rusedski to win his first title in 1997 and then compatriot Mark Philippoussis to defend his title in 1998.
Rafter was the fourth seed heading into the event in 1999 and was seeded fourth, and started brightly – racing to a two-set lead against two-time major finalist Cedric Pioline.
But the Australian was struggling with tendonitis and, after the Frenchman levelled the match, Rafter retired just one game into the deciding set.
He was trailing 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-0 to Pioline when he retired, and he is still the only man to lose in the opening round of his title defence.
Svetlana Kuznetsova – 2005
Two decades ago, Kuznetsova achieved one the greatest triumphs of her career, becoming the first Russian woman to win the title in New York after beating compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final.
But a year later it was an entirely different story for the world No 2, who was the fifth seed at the 2005 US Open – but was struggling with a back injury at the time.
Kuznetsova was still a heavy favourite against compatriot Ekaterina Bychkova, but the world 97 – making her Grand Slam debut – eased her way to a 6-3, 6-2 victory.
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