Tennis: Osaka suffers shock loss in US Open third round

[NEW YORK] Two-time champion Naomi Osaka suffered a stunning defeat in the third round of the US Open on Friday to Canadian Leylah Fernandez 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4, ending her title defence inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After both players held their serves through the first 10 games, the four-time Grand Slam winner broke Fernandez's serve and then closed out the set in the next game with an ace to cheers from the New York crowd.

But the night quickly turned sour for the third seed as she dropped her serve to send the second set into the tiebreak, where she uncharacteristically lost her cool, whacking her racquet and then flinging it onto the court twice in frustration as Fernandez scored five straight points.

She did not receive a warning or a code violation and left the court between sets.

Her troubles continued as Fernandez broke her serve to kick off the third set, and Osaka hit a ball into the stands in the second game, prompting a warning.

In the ninth game, she rushed through her serves, not even waiting for the crowd to quiet down, as she was unable to create a single break point opportunity in the final set.

REUTERS