Darja Semeņistaja exited the US Open in the first round on Tuesday, falling in straight sets to Austria’s Anastasija Potapova at Flushing Meadows in New York. While Semeņistaja bowed out of the season’s final Grand Slam tournament, fellow Latvian competitor Aļona Ostapenko saw her opening-round match suspended due to rain.
Semeņistaja Falls to Potapova in Straight Sets
Entering the main draw as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of Czech player Tereza Valentova, Semeņistaja could not find her footing against the 24th-seeded Potapova. The Austrian controlled the baseline exchanges to secure a 6-2, 6-2 victory on the hard courts. Semeņistaja, ranked No. 109 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, made her Grand Slam main draw debut in New York last year, where she similarly exited in the opening round.
Her path to the main draw this fortnight followed a tough loss in the final round of the qualifying tournament. Potapova, currently ranked No. 25 in the world and seeded 24th at the tournament, capitalized on her opportunities to close out the match in two routine sets.
Rain Halts Ostapenko’s Opener Against Maria
On the neighboring courts, Ostapenko’s campaign faced a weather interruption. The 30th-seeded Latvian won the opening set against Germany’s Tatjana Maria but dropped the second set, leaving the match poised at 6-4, 1-6 before persistent rain forced tournament organizers to postpone the remainder of the contest.
Ostapenko enters the tournament holding the No. 32 spot in the WTA singles rankings, while Maria stands at No. 83 without a seed. Tournament officials scheduled the decisive third set to resume on Wednesday, with the winner required to return quickly for the next phase of the schedule.
Doubles Commitments Await Ostapenko
Beyond her singles responsibilities, Ostapenko is slated for action in the women’s doubles bracket. Partnering with Taiwan’s Su-wei Hsieh, the duo earned the fourth seed and a scheduled first-round clash against the Croatian pairing of Darija Jurak Schreiber and Antonia Ružić.
The US Open features a total prize fund of $108 million across its hard-court surfaces and runs through September 13, culminating with the men’s singles final.
What Happens Next
Ostapenko and Maria will return to complete their suspended first-round singles match on Wednesday, weather permitting, with the victor advancing to face subsequent rounds in the New York Grand Slam draw.
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