The current no.1 women's tennis player and the winner of the 2021 Wimbledon Championship, Ashleigh Barty has been knocked out of the ongoing US Open 2021. Shelby Rogers defeated the no. 1 seed by 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(5). Despite being double-break down in the final set, Rogers came back strongly to clinch the victory.
With this win, the 28-year old has reached the round of 16 of the US Open. Even in 2020, Rogers had entered the US Open quarter-finals. This is Roger's second win against a top 10 player, she has initially won a match against Serena Williams as well.
Shelby Rogers is from America and she has kept the USA flag flying as she is the only American in the round of 16 so far in women's singles. She had faced Ashleigh Barty twice recently and showed signs of dominating the no. 1 seed. She faced Barty at Yarra Valley Classic in February and on the green clay court of Charleston.
The loss has come as a shock for Barty who was the first Australian woman to win the singles trophy at Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong in 1980. She was a cricketer who played in the women's Big Bash League in Australia. Barty began her tennis career playing doubles. She even won a US Open title in 2018. Barty's high point was her 2019 Roland Garros singles title. She defeated Kerber in the semi-final this year to reach her first-ever Wimbledon final.
Shelby Rogers would face Emma Raducanu in the round of 16 match of the US Open 2021. Barty, on the other hand, will start preparing for her next slam.