New York (AFP)

Dirty time for the title holders at the US Open: a few hours after the abandonment of Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka was eliminated in the round of 16 on Monday at Flushing Meadows, a defeat all the more bitter that it also makes her fall from her world throne.

Rafael Nadal, Gael Monfils and the clash between two diamonds in women's tennis Taylor Townsend and Bianca Andreescu are scheduled in night session.

While the rain forced the organizers to close the roofs of the Arthur-Ashe and Louis-Armstrong courts, Osaka was leached by the Swiss Belinda Bencic (12th) 7-5, 6-4.

The Japanese will be replaced next Monday at the top of the WTA by Australian Ashleigh Barty, winner at Roland Garros and current N.2, also eliminated in the round of 16.

Osaka, 21, chained a title at the Australian Open in January after winning the title at Flushing Meadows last year against Serena Williams in the final, her first Grand Slam trophy.

"The challenge could not be bigger because she absolutely had to keep her title, so, I'm very happy," said Bencic, who had already reached the US Open quarter in 2014, his best Grand Slam result at that time. day. This year, she was eliminated in the third round at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

- Not a surprise -

Her victory against Osaka was not such a big surprise as the Swiss won their first two meetings, at Indian Wells and Madrid this year.

Bencic will face for a place in the semifinals the Croatian Donna Vekic (23rd) who had the German Julia Görges to reach his first quarter Grand Slam, not without having saved a match point.

"I do not even know how I won ... she served for the match and had a match point on her serve" at 5-4 in the second set, commented Vekic.

But the German has been very nervous and has multiplied the faults both service and exchange in this game, leaving Vekic level at 5-5 and win the round 7-5 by winning three games in a row .

"It served very well but I knew I had the advantage in the exchange, so I had to return to service," said Vekic.

She had never passed the third round at Flushing Meadows, which she reached in 2017, and her best result in Grand Slam remained until the 8th finals at Wimbledon in 2018 and Roland Garros this year.

© 2019 AFP