Top seed Sabalenka crash out of Quebec City event

Top-seed Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has crashed out of the Coupe Banque Nationale, a WTA hard-court event in Quebec City, losing 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) to American Varvara Lepchenko.

The 20-year-old Sabalenka, who is ranked No. 20 and is one of the most promising young stars on the WTA Tour, was the only player to take a set off of eventual champion Naomi Osaka at the just-concluded US Open in New York, reports Efe news.

But Lepchenko pulled off the upset on Tuesday, thanks to her success on the big points.

The 110th-ranked American saved all three break points she faced in the first set and then in the second set fought off a determined comeback bid by Sabalenka, who rallied from a break down and also nearly came back after trailing 0-4 in the tiebreaker.

Next up for Lepchenko in the second round will be the Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova, who brushed aside fellow qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria 6-2, 6-1 on Tuesday.

Two other seeded players also crashed out in the first round.

German No. 7 seed Tatjana Maria lost 6-2, 6-2 to Canadian wildcard Rebecca Marino and sixth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova fell 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-5 to Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.

--IANS

kk/sed