Skip to content

US Open 2015: Ana Ivanovic beaten by Dominika Cibulkova

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia competes against Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia at the US Open
Image: Ana Ivanovic suffered shock US Open exit to Dominika Cibulkova

Former world No 1 Ana Ivanovic was the first major casualty of the US Open as the seventh seed fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 to Dominika Cibulkova in the opening match on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday.

The 50th-ranked Cibulkova, of Slovakia, seized the advantage with a service break in the fourth game of third set for a 3-1 lead and consolidated it with a backhand drop shot to make it 4-1 against the former French Open champion.

A long backhand from Ivanovic, who had her left foot taped midway through the final set, ended the nearly two-hour contest.

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia celebrates
Image: Dominika Cibulkova is a 2014 Australian Open finalist

"Today I know that my game was there on the court," said the 26-year-old Cibulkova, who cracked the top 10 last year before finishing the season ranked 11th and reached the quarter-finals last week in New Haven.

"I just had to stay tough and know I had to do it, she doesn't give away shots."

Cibulkova, a 2014 Australian Open finalist who earlier this year had Achilles-related surgery on her left foot, will next face American qualifier and daughter of Buffalo Bills and Sabres owner, 21-year-old Jessica Pegula, a 7-5 6-3 winner over Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck.

Jessica Pegula of the United States returns a shot against Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium at the US Open
Image: Young American Jessica Pegula, ranked 260th, will face Cibulkova next

For Ivanovic, the 2008 Roland Garros queen, the result continued an up-and-down season. The 27-year-old Serb, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros this year, was coming off back-to-back quarter-finals at US Open tune-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Also See:

She also has lost three times to players outside the top-100 this year, including twice at Grand Slams.

Other early matches on the women's side went according to script as 13th-seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova dismissed Brazil's Teliana Pereira 6-3 6-3, and 15th seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland crushed Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-2 6-3.

NOW TV
NOW TV

Watch US Open on NOW TV

Watch the US Open at New York on Sky Sports from 4pm all this week. Not a Sky subscriber? Then watch through online streaming service NOW TV.

By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices.

Around Sky