Halep makes U.S. Open history

NEW YORK — The Billie Jean

King National Tennis Center’s newest stadium received a proper christening Monday afternoon at the U.S. Open when world No. 1 Simona Halep made history.

The reigning French Open champion became the first topseeded woman to lose in the first round of the U.S. Open when she fell to No. 44 Kaia Kanepi, 6-2, 6-4, in the tournament’s first match in a newly renovated Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Halep, who lost her openinground match in New York last year to Maria Sharapova, joins a small club of No. 1 seeds who have lost in the first round of a Grand Slam in tennis’s Open Era, which began in 1968. Virginia Ruzici did so at the 1979 Australian Open, Steffi Graf lost at Wimbledon in 1994, Martina Hingis lost at Wimbledon in 1999 and in 2001, and Angelique Kerber lost as the top seed this year at Roland Garros.

Seeding aside, the last world No. 1 to win the U.S. Open was Serena Williams in 2014.

The Romanian known for her fight on court will not forfeit the No. 1 ranking despite her loss, as for the first time since 2016 the WTA’s top spot is not on the line during a Grand Slam. Last year, the U.S. Open began with eighth players vying for the No. 1 ranking.

Halep’s defeat does open what was perhaps the toughest quarter of the women’s draw, however. She could have played Serena or Venus Williams in the fourth round. Kanepi advances instead, moving on to play qualifier Jil Teichmann in the second round.