NEW YORK (AFP) – Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse bounced Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova from the second round of the US Open on Wednesday, beating the Czech 6-4, 7-5 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
"Oh my God! I have no words at this moment," said a beaming Ruse. "It's just a dream for me."
Ruse, ranked 122nd in the world, pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far with her win over the eighth-ranked Krejcikova.
The Czech, eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics, opted not to play any hard-court tune-ups heading into the US Open, withdrawing from Toronto with a thigh injury.
She acknowledged before the tournament that obligations in the wake of her Wimbledon victory "took a lot of energy," although adding a second major after her 2021 French Open victory had boosted her confidence and sense of calm.
The 26-year-old Ruse, who thanked her team for seeing her through a series of injuries, next faces 26th-seeded Paula Badosa of Spain, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over American Taylor Townsend.
"I don't care, to be honest right now. I just want to enjoy," said Ruse, who was especially pleased that her father, Adrian, was on hand to watch her play in the United States for the first time.
"I think my father is the lucky charm, for sure," she said.
GAUFF EASES INTO US OPEN THIRD ROUND
Defending champion Coco Gauff shook off her struggles on serve to reach the third round of the US Open on Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over 99th-ranked Tatjana Maria of Germany.
The 20-year-old American, who has had an erratic season since capturing her maiden major on the hard courts of New York, had nine double faults and put just 44 percent of her first serves in play.
She escaped with the first set despite 20 unforced errors -- double the total of her 10 winners. She double-faulted on her first set point and had to replay the second when the electronic line-calling system malfunctioned.
Maria, a 37-year-old veteran, just didn't have the weapons to take advantage, converting just one of her five break chances.
With a set in hand Gauff began to hit with more authority. She finished with 25 winners and 25 unforced errors and won the last seven games.
"I started to go more to the net in the second set, should have done that more in the first," Gauff said. "I think I played well overall. I think if I could have served better that first set would have been a lot easier."