Top seed Karolina Pliskova was knocked out of the US Open in the second round with a heavy defeat by France's Caroline Garcia.
Pliskova, runner-up in 2016, lost 6-1 7-6 (7-2) to the world number 50.
Czech world number three Pliskova was the highest ranked player here in the absence of Australian Ashleigh Barty and Romania's Simona Halep.
Her exit may further improve Serena Williams' chances of a 24th Grand Slam title in an open women's draw.
Six of the world's top 10 players were already absent from the behind-closed-doors tournament amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pliskova hit just one winner in a poor first-set performance and fell a break down early in the second before improving her level to carve out two set points.
But she failed to convert them an Garcia went on to take it to a tie-break, which she dominated.
"I knew I had to go for it and believe," said Garcia, who has won seven tour titles. "I stayed calm and could get over the line."
Garcia will face American world number 41 Jennifer Brady in the next round.
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