BRINGIN’ THE HOUSE DOWN
‘New’ Armstrong Stadium opens with stunner
What better way to christen a new stadium at the U.S. Open than with a shocking upset.
Well, unless you’re World No. 1 Simona Halep, of course.
Halep got blasted off the court Monday in the first match at the new Louis Armstrong Stadium, 6-2, 6-4, by 44th-ranked Kaia Kanepi.
When Halep hit long on a forehand return of a second serve, she became the first No. 1 women’s seed to lose in the first round of the U.S. Open in its 50-year history as a professional tournament, and the 5th woman in Slam history to do so.
“For me, it’s difficult in the first round because I’m more emotional,” Halep said. “That’s why I need a good start.”
Instead, Halep started slowly against Kanepi, a powerful hitter from Estonia who reached the Open quarterfinals last year as a qualifier.
Kanepi fell two points short of beating Halep in their only previous matchup in Doha, Qatar, in 2014. But at Armstrong, Kanepi displayed a potent ground game that confounded the top seed.
“I remembered when I played her last time and I tried to do the same,” Kanepi said. “I can be aggressive against her when I want to because she defends a lot.”
Halep’s counterpunching strategy from the baseline failed against Kanepi, who led in forehand winners, 14-3, and in backhand winners, 7-1.
Kanepi led 3-0 in the second set before Halep drew even at 4-4, which had the Romanian’s rabid fans chanting “Si-mo-na! Si-mo-na!”
“I was thinking, why they cheer so much for her because normally they cheer for the underdog,” Kanepi said, smiling. “It was a bit annoying sometimes, but I got over it. I thought I have to hit more aggressive again and I tried to do that.”
With Kanepi holding a break point in the ninth game, she pounded a forehand that gave her control of the rally. Working her way to the net, she hit a deft drop volley that wowed the crowd and enabled her to serve for the match.
“I was a little disappointed I didn’t get that game,” Halep said. “Maybe I could have taken that second set and then you never know.”
In the final game, Halep lost a line challenge at 15-15 that left Kanepi two points from victory. Another forehand winner from Kanepi brought her to match point.
After Halep sent the final shot long, Kanepi raised her arms in triumph and basked in the first standing ovation on the Open’s newest show court.
“It felt really good,” said Kanepi, who faces Swiss qualifier Jill Teichmann in her next match. “I love playing here in New York. The courts really suit my game. I like the city and the atmosphere. And I like the weather: humid and hot.”
Halep won’t be singing “I Love New York” anytime soon. She lost in the Open’s first round for the second straight year. In 2017, she fell to Maria Sharapova, a five-time major champion, who had returned to tennis after a 1½-year drug suspension. Halep didn’t have a major title on her resume at the time.
This time, as the reigning French Open champ, Halep was thoroughly outplayed.
Halep’s defeat may be welcome news to No. 8 Karolina Pliskova, No. 12 Garbine Muguruza, No. 16 Venus Williams and No. 17 Serena Williams—the other premier players in a section of the draw that could be called the Quarter of Death.
But Halep gave some advice to her top-seeded rivals: Don’t sleep on Kanepi.
“She’s a very strong player,” Halep said. “She has a chance to have a great result.”