Tennis

China's Li Na bounced in first-round US Open upset

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-09-01 10:56
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NEW YORK - China's Li Na became the highest seed to fall at this year's US Open when she suffered a shock 2-6 6-4 6-2 defeat to hard-hitting Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko on Tuesday.

 

China's Li Na bounced in first-round US Open upset
Li Na of China hits a return to Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine during the US Open tennis tournament in New York, August 31, 2010. [Agencies]

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In searing heat, the eighth seed cruised through the first set but then lost her way as world number 59 Bondarenko stormed to victory in one hour 43 minutes.

Both Li and Bondarenko reached the quarter-finals in New York in 2009 but Li looked on course for a straightforward win when she broke serve twice to winning the first set.

But Bondarenko, who has slipped down the rankings after a three-month absence with knee trouble, levelled the match and then roared through the decider to reach round two.