Qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse produced a stunning performance to send Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova packing in straight sets in the second round of the women's singles at the 2024 US Open on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old Romanian, ranked 122 in the WTA standings, carried her momentum from the qualifiers by defeating the eighth-seeded Krejcikova in scores of 6-4, 7-5. It was one of the biggest wins for Ruse in Grand Slam history, thus snapping the impressive eight-match win streak of Krejcikova. Going into this match, Krejcikova had won 15 of her last 16 matches against players outside the Top 100, and thus this loss was a pretty surprising outcome.
Krejcikova had been inundated with appearances and media commitments right after her triumph in Wimbledon, which clearly caught up with her in this match. Even her previous win over qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera was quite mediocre at 7-6 (3), 6-2, which hinted that she was not exactly bringing her A-game against Ruse, either.
But the most salient factor in Ruse's game was taking 20 of 32 points off Krejcikova's second serve. She was the aggressor, and it paid dividends - 28 winners to 15 unforced errors - whereas Krejcikova hit 27 winners to 24 errors. Ruse served eight aces to one double fault, whereas Krejcikova had seven double faults.
Ruse made two breaks in the first set, in the sixth and tenth games, before holding for the third time around when Krejcikova's backhand sailed wide. Krejcikova took a 5-3 lead in the second set, but Ruse reeled off the last four games. At the match's close, Ruse collapsed onto the grass in elation, drinking in the importance of her victory.
"Speechless," Ruse said on the US Open website. "I don't believe it. It was such a great match from my side. Barbora is such a great player and she wins so many matches, so it feels like a dream."
She also brought immense credit to her father, for whom the US Open was a first in his life and said he was a good luck charm. "I'm so happy to have him here. It's been very emotional."
Ruse will now face No. 26 seed Paula Badosa-which again will be a challenge-though Ruse had already achieved one of her career milestones when she defeated a Top 10 player, No. 5 Badosa, in Dubai in 2022.
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