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Wimbledon champ Kvitova joins 'inglorious' US Open club
Petra Kvitova became the first reigning Wimbledon ladies singles champion in the Open era to lose in the first round of the US Open on Monday. BIKASH MOHAPATRA says there were three men there before to welcome her as a member of the inglorious club.
Petra Kvitova created history on Monday. But she wouldn't be particularly proud that an 'inglorious' feat got her into the books.
The Czech became the first reigning Wimbledon champion (ladies singles) in the Open era to lose in the first round of the US Open.
The fifth seed, who surprised many in beating Russian Maria Sharapova to win her first major title this July, fell in straight sets (7-6, 6-3) to Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru at Flushing Meadows.
The 21-year-old's opening day exit, besides being the first instance of a reigning Wimbledon champion failing to cross the first hurdle at the year's last major, it also is one of the few occasions of such a failure
The champions at Wimbledon have usually done well in New York. There are just four aberrations to the rule, though.
While Kvitova is the first woman to achieve the 'inglorious' feat, there were three men who were there before to welcome her as a member of the not-so-wanted club.
Lundgren brought Cash crashing down
The career of Pat Cash is defined about his triumph at Wimbledon in 1987.
However, the Australian's success at the All England Club was followed by failure at the Flushing Meadows a few weeks later.
Cash, riding on his Wimbledon win, was brought crashing down by Swede Peter Lundgren.
The Australian lost in four sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round.
Volkov ended Edberg's 21-match unbeaten run
Stefan Edberg's name figures twice in the list, albeit the instances are opposite.
The Swede's second title at Wimbledon in 1990 was followed by a shocking opening round exit at the US Open a few weeks later.
Edberg, riding on a 21-match unbeaten run post the Big W, with three further titles on the hard courts at Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Long Island, was shocked by the unheralded Russian Alexander Volkov.
The Swede was beaten 6-3, 7-6, 6-2.
Edberg's last hurrah at Krajicek's expense
It is not unusual to find Richard Krajicek's name in this list.
The Dutchman was synonymous with early exits for most part of his career.
However, this particular instance represented the lone occasion he came into a major tour, having won the Wimbledon title in 1996 and succumbing to the pressure of being a major champion.
It is also the second instance that Stefan Edberg is part of this list, albeit as a winner on this occasion.
In his farewell year on tour, the Swede ran out a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 winner over Krajicek.
It took 15 years before Kvitova joined this not-so-wanted list.