Katie Boulter, the British number one, was eliminated from the US Open in the second round after a 58-minute match against Karolina Muchova. The match, which was moved to the Louis Armstrong Stadium due to heavy rain, saw Boulter fall to a 6-1, 6-0 defeat against the Czech seventh seed.
Boulter struggled with her serve, hitting eight double faults and no aces, while winning only 33% of points behind her first serve. She was unable to convert any of the seven break points she faced, and recorded 22 unforced errors compared to just four winners. Muchova, the Wimbledon runner-up, produced a strong performance with 14 winners and nine unforced errors, utilizing effective drop shots and groundstrokes.
Francesca Jones, another British player, had more success, winning her first-round match against Poland's Magda Linette after it was delayed by rain.
According to former world number five Daniela Hantuchova, Boulter needs to make significant changes, particularly to her serve. "It was very obvious today that it was the serve," Hantuchova told BBC Radio 5 Live. "If I am Boulter, I would be on the practice court tomorrow."
Boulter, currently ranked world number 62, married Australian player Alex de Minaur in July. This season has seen disappointing results in Grand Slam tournaments, with only two wins across the four major events. Since her first-round exit at Wimbledon, Boulter has played six matches, winning only two.