Sofia Kenin hits the ball against Elise Mertens on day eight of the 2020 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York September 7, 2020.
NEW YORK: Second seed Sofia Kenin of the United States was sent crashing out of the US Open on Monday, beaten in straight sets by Elise Mertens of Belgium.
Kenin, the highest seeded player left in the tournament and winner of the 2020 Australian Open, was bundled out of the last 16 6-3, 6-3, in 1hr 14 mins by Mertens.
Mertens, the 16th seed, will now play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the quarter-finals.
Kenin, who had not lost a game in her first three rounds, never got her service game together against Mertens.
The 21-year-old Moscow-born player won only 56 percent of first serve points compared to 75 percent for Mertens.
Kenin also hit three double faults, while Mertens hit none.
Mertens, ranked 18th in the world, smashed eight aces, while Kenin failed to muster any.
Unseeded Azarenka came from a set down to oust 20th seed Karolina Muchova 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in 2hr 30min.
