August 28, (THEWILL) – Romanian qualifier, Elena Gabriela Ruse, stunned Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday.
Ruse, ranked 122nd globally, defeated the eighth-ranked Czech player 6-4 7-5, marking her first entry into the third round of a Grand Slam tournament.
Krejcikova, who was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics, had not played any hard-court warm-up events before the US Open. She withdrew from Toronto due to a thigh injury and admitted that post-Wimbledon commitments had been draining.
The 26-year-old Ruse expressed her disbelief at the victory, calling it a dream come true. She thanked her team for supporting her through various injuries and was particularly pleased that her father, Adrian, was present to watch her play in the United States for the first time.
Ruse’s next opponent will be 26th-seeded Paula Badosa of Spain, who defeated American Taylor Townsend 6-3 7-5. The Romanian player stated that she was focused on enjoying her current success rather than worrying about future matches.
This upset is considered the most significant of the 2024 US Open tournament so far.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
