German tennis player Angelique Kerber is out of the US Open, becoming the first women's defending champion to be eliminated in the first round in over a decade.
Angelique Kerber Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The German sixth seed, who has not won a title since winning at Flushing Meadows last year, was crushed 6-3 6-1 by Japan's 19-year-old Naomi Osaka.
The last defending women's champion to lose in the first round in New York was
Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2005.
Kerber never got into the match against Osaka who broke for 5-3 and sealed the opening set with a sizzling winner down the line under the closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
World number 45 Osaka broke in the first game of the second set and continued to pepper the court with winners to hold for 2-0.
Kerber had four break points but failed to convert any as Osaka completed her demolition job to claim her first career victory against a top-10 player.
She next faces either Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson or Czech Denisa Allertova with a potential fourth-round clash against French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko looming.
Earlier on Arthur Ashe Stadium, world No.1 Karolina Pliskova's secured her place in the second round with a straight sets 6-2 6-1 victory over 72nd ranked Pole Magda Linette.
Plishkova will next face Paraguay's Veronica Cepede Royg or American qualifier Nicole Gibbs.
