Sakkari knocked out of US Open after wasting three match points

Maria Sakkari follows through on a shot to Yuliia Starodubtseva during the second round of the US Open tennis championships Thursday in New York. [AP]

Greece’s Maria Sakkari was knocked out of the US Open on Thursday after letting a one-set lead and three match points slip away against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

The 32nd-seeded Sakkari lost 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 to Starodubtseva in the second round, surrendering a commanding position as the 26-year-old completed a comeback victory.

Sakkari, 31, dominated the opening set and appeared to be cruising toward victory. She also held three match points in the second set but could not convert them, allowing Starodubtseva to force a tiebreak and level the match.

Starodubtseva then took control in the deciding set to complete the upset.

The Ukrainian will face second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the third round. Rybakina advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.