US Open 2017: Simona Halep could still become world No 1 despite first round defeat to Maria Sharapova

Eight women arrived at Flushing Meadows with the possibility of leaving on top of the world rankings and Halep is still in pole position

Simona Halep crashed out of the US Open with defeat to Maria Sharapova on Monday (Getty Images)

Simona Halep’s US Open ended in bitter disappointment with her first-round defeat to Maria Sharapova but the 25-year-old Romanian could yet be in line for a major consolation prize.

Despite her exit from the tournament on the opening day, Halep might still finish the year’s concluding Grand Slam tournament as the world No 1.

Eight women arrived at Flushing Meadows with the possibility of leaving on top of the world rankings and while Karolina Pliskova is the current No 1, Halep is actually the player that everyone has to catch.

The world rankings are based on a rolling 12-month total and when last year’s US Open points are taken off, Halep holds a 165-point lead over Garbine Muguruza. In 13 days’ time the 2016 US Open points will be replaced by what the players have earned at this year’s tournament.

Halep’s lead is such that Muguruza would overtake her only by reaching the fourth round or better. Elina Svitolina needs to make the semi-finals to do so and Pliskova needs to make the final. Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams would all need to win the title, while Johanna Konta’s chances of making top spot ended with her defeat at the hands of Aleksandra Krunic on the opening day.

Two of the contenders were first on court on the second day of competition here. Pliskova, who was runner-up to Angelique Kerber 12 months ago, opened proceedings in Arthur Ashe Stadium and got her campaign under way with a crushing 6-2, 6-1 victory over Poland’s Magda Linette.

Pliskova, who rounded off victory with her eighth ace of the match, needed just 78 minutes to beat the world No 72 but did not have things all her own way. Both players had 10 break points in the match, but whereas Pliskova converted five of hers, Linette could take advantage of only one.

The tally of outright winners - 28 for Pliskova and only nine for Linette – was evidence of Pliskova’s superior firepower. The 25-year-old Czech, who has hit more aces than any other player on the women’s tour this year, has a big game which is well suited to the fast courts here.

Pliskova was asked in her post-match interview how it had felt starting a Grand Slam tournament as world No 1 for the first time. “I felt a little bit nervous walking on this court, especially after the memories I had from this court last year, when I was playing great tennis, but I think I played pretty solid today,” she said.

“I think last year was the breakthrough for me. I won in Cincinnati and then I got to the final here at the US Open, so I started to believe in myself more and to play well in Grand Slams.”

Svitolina appeared to be heading for an even quicker victory when she won the first set against Katerina Siniakova in just 24 minutes without losing a game, but the Czech fought back. On a gloomy and comparatively chilly day the match was suspended because of rain with Svitolina leading 2-1 in a tie-break at the end of the second set.

Kuznetsova was due to play Marketa Vondrousova later in the afternoon, while Wozniacki, Williams and Muguruza all won their first-round matches on the opening day. Williams’ level dipped in the second set of her 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova, but Muguruza brushed aside Varvara Lepchenko, winning 6-0, 6-3, and Wozniacki beat Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1, 7-5.

Pliskova’s predecessor as world No 1, Angelique Kerber, suffered the latest setback in her disappointing year when she was beaten 6-3, 6-1 by 19-year-old Naomi Osaka. Kerber won both the Australian and US Opens in 2016 but has not won a title anywhere since her triumph here 12 months ago. Indeed, she has not even made a Grand Slam quarter-final this year.

While rain continued to fall on the outside courts, the match was played under the retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium. Kerber, who is the first defending champion to lose in the first round here since Kuznetsova in 2005, was in trouble from the moment Osaka broke to go 5-3 up in the first set. Osaka ran away with the second set and completed her victory after just 65 minutes when Kerber put a forehand in the net.

Osaka, who won the Women’s Tennis Association’s “Newcomer of the Year” award in 2016, made her Grand Slam debut at last year’s Australian Open. A big hitter with an aggressive game, the Japanese teenager had never previously beaten an opponent ranked in the world’s top 10.

By 3.30pm all remaining matches on other courts were called off for the day because of the weather, leaving only the programme in Arthur Ashe Stadium.