By Chris Oddo | Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Shuai Peng notched her first ever top five win at a major with a 6-3, 6-4 takedown of Agnieszka Radwanska on Day 2.
Photo Source: Sky Sports
Agnieszka Radwanska’s New York struggles continued on Day 3, as the No. 4 seed was unceremoniously bounced from the US Open draw by Shuai Peng, 6-3, 6-4, marking the ninth time in nine tries that Radwanska has failed to reach the last eight at the US Open.
Day 2: Highlights, Lowlights and Butt Tweeners
Radwanska also becomes the highest seed to fall in the first three days of the US Open with the defeat.
Though Radwanska owned a 3-1 lifetime record against the world No. 39, Peng’s only win against the Pole had come in New York in 2010, also in the second round. .
On Wednesday, Peng was the better player from start to finish. She hit 14 winners to only four for Radwanska in the opener, and connected on two of two break points to seal the set in 39 minutes.
In the second set Peng held serve the whole way, and though she failed on her first two match points (one with Radwanska serving at 3-5, the next with Peng serving at 5-4), she walloped a crosscourt backhand winner to seal her first career win over a top five player at a Grand Slam.
It was her patience from the baseline, and her ability mix up her spins and angles, that kept her in the driver’s seat for many of the rallies and eventually earned Peng the satisfying upset.
“In the Australian Open I had two match points [against Radwanska] and I didn’t make it,” said an elated Peng on court after the match. “This time I just tried to tell myself ‘fight, fight.’ It’s an amazing time for me.”
Peng, who became the first Chinese player to ever hold a world No. 1 ranking when she claimed the top spot in the doubles rankings earlier this year, will face Roberta Vinci in the third round.
The Chinese No. 3 has reached the round of 16 at a major five times in her career, most recently last month at Wimbledon.
Radwanska, a former Wimbledon finalist, has struggled at the US Open more than any other Grand Slam.
It was Radwanska’s earliest exit from a major in three years.