<img title="Germany's Angelique Kerber returns to Japan&rsquo;s Naomi Osaka during the first round match of the US Open at New York on Tuesday. Pic/AFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/aug/kerber-open.jpg" alt="Germany's Angelique Kerber returns to Japan&rsquo;s Naomi Osaka during the first round match of the US Open at New York on Tuesday. Pic/AFP" /> Germany's Angelique Kerber returns to Japan&rsquo;s Naomi Osaka during the first round match of the US Open at New York on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
Angelique Kerber insisted she can return to the level that made her a two-time grand slam champion and World No. 1 after a disappointing season hit a new low.
The German's 6-3, 6-1 defeat to teenager Naomi Osaka made her only the second defending women's champion to lose her first match after Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2005.
<img title="Japan's Naomi Osaka" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2017/aug/Naomi-Osaka.jpg" alt="Japan's Naomi Osaka" /> Japan's Naomi Osaka
Kerber said: "It was not my day, completely not my day today. I'm sad. She's a very aggressive player, but I knew this before. She served very well and was going for it. She played a very good match from the beginning."
Kerber rose to the top of rankings after winning in both Australia and New York last season but has not claimed a title since nor made a grand slam quarter-final. Fourth-round appearances at the Australian Open and Wimbledon sandwiched an opening-round defeat at the French Open and her misery was complete here.
It was a very tough draw for Kerber against a player regarded as one of the future stars of the women's game, and Osaka rose to the challenge under the roof on Arthur Ashe.
The Japanese-American is a fearless ball-striker and Kerber had no answer, netting a final forehand to succumb meekly after just 65 minutes.
Kerber, who despite her poor form held the number one spot until Wimbledon, will now fall outside the top 10.
The contrast to 12 months ago could not have been more stark, but she said: "I'm still the same player and the same person. I think it's just the matches and how I played last year from the beginning and how I'm struggling this year. But I know that I'm strong and I know that I will come back stronger, for sure. I know that I will not give up like this.
"I will try to forget the match as soon as possible and look forward again."

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Angelique Kerber after US Open exit: I will not give up

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