US Open dishes up two shocks

FEELING THE HEAT: MUGURUZA, RAONIC DUMPED OUT

Djokovic through without hitting a ball in anger.

New York

French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic crashed out of the US Open on Wednesday as the $150 million roof on the Arthur Ashe Stadium rolled smoothly into action for the first time.

Third-seeded Spaniard Muguruza, who has struggled after her Roland Garros win in June, was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, the world No 48.

Muguruza rallied from 1-5 down in the second set, saving three match points, but Sevastova, who briefly quit the sport in 2013, held her nerve.

Having not won a match at the US Open in five years before this week, 26-year-old Sevastova now goes on to face Kateryna Bondarenko, a 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 winner over China’s Zheng Saisai.

Meanwhile, 120th-ranked Ryan Harrison of the United States stunned fifth-seeded Raonic 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 in another second round upset.

He goes on to face experienced Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last-16.

“I started cramping midway through the second set. There was a lot of nerves and stress. It was a result of over-exuberance,” said 25-year-old Raonic.

Rafael Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion, eased past Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-0, 7-5, 6-1.

Light rain caused the structure to be closed at 3-3 in the second set with play only held up for around seven minutes.

“It’s part of history and I am very happy to be the first to play under the roof,” said Nadal, who was also the first to practice beneath the roof on the cavernous 22 000-capacity arena.

Nadal beat Seppi for the eighth time in nine matches and next faces Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov.

World No 1 Novak Djokovic made the last-32 of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.

Djokovic will face 34-year-old Russian Mikhail Youzhny, twice a semifinalist, today for a place in the last-16.

Britain’s Johanna Konta, the 13th seed, collapsed on court with heat sickness before completing a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win over Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova.

Angelique Kerber, the secondseeded Australian Open champion, made the last-32 by beating Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia 6-2, 7-6 (9/7). –