Second-ranked defending champion Coco Gauff was stunned in her opening match at the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open on Thursday, falling to Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
The shock defeat for America’s Paris Olympic flag-bearer left the partisan crowd in the U.S. heartland reeling, coming just before the U.S. Open, where Gauff is the reigning champion.
Kazakh upset artist Putintseva, ranked 34th, has a knack for surprises, having knocked off world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon just a month ago.
"I'm really proud of myself," said Putintseva. "Even if the crowd was cheering for Coco, they were fair with me."
"These courts are so fast; you have to just play on instinct. That's what I did," she added.
Gauff, who became the youngest winner at Cincinnati last year at age 19, carried that success into her first Grand Slam triumph at the U.S. Open.
Putintseva will next face Spain's Paula Badosa, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-2.
Third seed Aryna Sabalenka improved her opening-match record at the event by defeating Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4, while men’s second seed Alexander Zverev also advanced.
Sabalenka, who missed Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics due to a shoulder injury, has now won six of seven opening matches at Cincinnati.
"I'm happy with my level in the tough moments," Sabalenka said. "Elisabetta is a difficult opponent. She fought to the last point."
Cocciaretto was treated for a left hip problem midway through the second set and had thigh tape adjusted by the trainer at changeovers.
Zverev dodged a few raindrops late in the second set before wrapping up his ATP-leading 50th match win of the season.
The German, who won the title here in 2021 after losing his first six career matches at the venue, advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Karen Khachanov.
The victory, achieved in 76 minutes, mirrored the Tokyo Olympic final, which Zverev also won.
Khachanov committed 26 unforced errors in defeat against a longtime rival whom he now trails 5-2.
Zverev, who confessed to feeling poorly last week in Montreal despite reaching the quarterfinals, said his form has improved.
"I felt well on court. If you feel good in training, it's easier to bring it to the match," he said. "I just hope my form can get better. I'm happy I got the win today."
Zverev had no explanation for his 2023 run of success, saying, "It's just been a good year, but I've also had some tough losses."
Hurkacz to face Cobolli
Spain's Pablo Carreño Busta will be Zverev’s next opponent after defeating Australian Max Purcell 6-3, 6-3.
Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz, who made a surprise comeback from July knee surgery by reaching last week’s Montreal quarterfinals, won his opening match by defeating Yoshihito Nishioka 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.
The Pole worked for more than two hours, hitting 16 aces and saving 17 of 19 break points.
He will bid for the quarterfinals against Italian Flavio Cobolli, who advanced when compatriot Luca Darderi retired, trailing 7-6 (7-4), 3-1 due to apparent illness.
In the WTA draw, Elena Rybakina was thwarted in her first match since Wimbledon, falling to Canadian Leylah Fernandez 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 as Fernandez saved two match points in an upset of the fourth seed.
Rybakina, who missed the Paris Games with acute bronchitis, struggled with 17 double faults, including on match points. Even 20 aces could not save her afternoon.
Elina Svitolina, a semifinalist here nine years ago, defeated Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-1 and will next face Sabalenka.
Sabalenka has won their last two matches, including a Roland Garros quarterfinal in 2023 and a three-setter in Rome three months ago.
Newly minted Armenian Elina Avanesyan, who recently switched tennis nationalities, stunned eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback.