US Open: German tennis star Kerber out in round 1

German tennis star and former World Number One Angelique Kerber fell at the first hurdle in the US Open on Monday, going down 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 to France's Kristina Mladenovic.

Kerber, who won in New York in 2016, hauled herself back into the match after losing the first set narrowly by comfortably winning the second without losing a game.

However, she went an early break down in the third and despite restoring parity, the German was unable to hold serve at 4-4. Mladenovic kept her cool to serve out the match, despite double-faulting on her first match point.

The Flushing Meadows crowd were kept entertained in the searing heat for two hours and 24 minutes as the two players struggled with the conditions at times.

No coach, no conviction

Kerber's first round defeat completed a wretched year for the 31-year-old, where she has failed to reach a quarterfinal at any of the four majors. In addition, she is currently without a coach and her lack of direction has become apparent, none more so than in this listless display.

As for her unseeded opponent, Mladenovic will be looking to improve upon her 2015 US Open, when she made the last eight before losing to eventual finalist Roberta Vinci.

Mladenovic will play her compatriot, Fiona Ferro, in the second round after she defeated Australia’s Daria Gavrilova, 6-3, 6-4.