Top seeds in the draw by virtue of Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep in particular withdrawing from both Western & Southern Open and US Open, Pliskova and Kenin as a result have somewhat of a target on their back now.

Veronika Kudermetova accounted for the victory over Pliskova with the unseeded Russian claiming the best win of her career 7-5, 6-4. This was after the former had came through a nearly three hour clash with Ajla Tomljanovic on Saturday winning 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.

The World No.41 came back from 4-1 down in the first set and won the last three games of the match to win through in just under two hours. It is a third career win over a top ten player with victories coming over Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina last Autumn.

Kenin was also dispelled in straight sets with Alizé Cornet accounting for the Australian Open champion in a 6-1, 7-6 victory to win through to the Last 16 at Flushing Meadows.

The key came early for the Frenchwoman as she raced into a 5-0 lead and Kenin struggled from there pushing her for the set but only being able to get a foothold in terms of a solitary game.

The No.2 seed struggled to begin the second set but began to find her fight as she survived match points and went on to win four straight games. Cornet regrouped to force the tie-break but Kenin herself came to life claiming five straight points.

The latter though claimed two more match points with a mini revival of her own and converted her fourth for victory.

Sloane Stephens woes also continues with Caroline Garcia edging through their opening round encounter 6-3, 7-6. At the site of the former's major triumph three years ago; it was a different complexion this time around.

The Frenchwoman won six straight games from 3-1 down in the opening set to lead by a set and a break. Stephens did show some resilience building a 5-3 lead after breaking back in the next set but she wouldn't be denied breaking Stephens back to love in the ninth game, Garcia wrapped it up from there.

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