PETE ZIEBRON
Simona Halep, the #7 seed in the women's draw and Stefanos Tsitsipas, #4 seed in the men's draw each lost their first match at the 2022 US Open.
For Halep, it was the third time in her last five appearances in New York that she lost her opening match. The Romanian who won the title in Montreal a few weeks ago, was taken out by world #124 Daria Snigur of Ukraine. The Qualifier rebounded from a bagel set in the match to win 6-2 0-6 6-4. Halep reached the US Open semifinals in 2015. Thus, Snigur has now defeated two former US Open semifinalists in four matches, as she also beat Yanina Wickmayer in the second round of qualification. Wickmayer advanced to the semis in 2009, losing to Caroline Wozniacki.
Tsitsipas also lost to a Qualifier, world # 94 Daniel Galan of Columbia, who was making his first appearance at the US Open. Galan won the opening nine games of the match and raced to a 6-0 6-1 3-6 7-5 victory. The Greek was a Finalist in Cincinnati and defeated world #1 Daniil Medvedev en route to the final. Tsitsipas, who stated in press that he played like an amateur, has never advanced past the third round in New York in five appearances.
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