Suarez Navarro extends losing streak with Round 1 loss to Allertova
No. 10 Carla Suarez Navarro was the latest seeded woman to go down on Day 1 of the US Open on Monday, falling to 77th-ranked Denisa Allertova in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6.
It's also the latest in a string of disappointing defeats for the once-ascendant Spaniard, who has now lost her last seven matches (and 14 of her last 15 sets), after embarking on the most successful run of her career in the first half of 2015.
Behind her intuitive defense, spry movement, and unpredictable shot-making, Suarez Navarro rolled into the French Open leading the tour in match wins - including nine over top-10 opponents - and having made it at least as far as the quarterfinals in 10 of the 11 tournaments she'd played.
Since then, she's been bullied and overpowered by everyone she's faced. She hasn't won a single hardcourt match this summer, and hasn't won a match period since Birmingham in June. Her limp second serve was the biggest culprit Monday, as she lost 60 percent of points behind it, while getting broken four times.
Suarez Navarro was the highest-seeded player remaining in her quarter of the draw, following the withdrawal of No. 3 Maria Sharapova and first-round exit of No. 7 Ana Ivanovic. Adding in the early losses for No. 21 Jelena Jankovic and No. 30 Svetlana Kuznetsova, there are remarkably only three seeded players remaining in the quarter. No. 13 Ekaterina Makarova, No. 17 Elina Svitolina, and No. 25 Eugenie Bouchard won their opening matches in straight sets.
In the bigger picture, the half of the draw containing Serena Williams has been swept of a considerable number of landmines.
Players no longer in Serena's half of the draw...
Sharapova
Ivanovic
Pliskova
Suarez Navarro
Jankovic pic.twitter.com/Hd55B79zWz
— BBC Tennis (@bbctennis) August 31, 2015
In Serena's own quarter, No. 8 Karolina Pliskova was obliterated in her first-round match. Some threats still remain - Venus Williams and Aga Radwanska both moved through - but the highest seed Serena can possibly play before the finals is now No. 12 Belinda Bencic (who, it should be noted, beat the world No. 1 in the semis in Toronto earlier this month).
Such is the volatility of women's tennis today. Serena is the glue that holds it all together.