Angelique Kerber left the U.S. Open last year on top of women's tennis, with a second Grand Slam title and the No. The sixth-seeded German was beaten by Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-3, 6-1, the first defending women's champion eliminated in the first round of the U.S. Open in 12 years. But perhaps it wasn't too surprising after Kerber played so poorly following her breakthrough 2016, when she also won the Australian Open and lost to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final before ascending to No. This year, she fell in the first round of the French Open, that first time that had ever happened to the women's No. 23 Barbora Strycova, Pliskova's Czech countrymate, also advanced with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Japan's Misaki Doi, while No.

Source: CBC News August 29, 2017 18:31 UTC