US Open Tennis 2012: Unexpected Upsets Waiting to Happen in Round 1

There are some major upsets brewing in Round 1 of the 2012 U.S. Open, set to get underway on Monday, August 27, the last grand slam tournament of the season.  

It's not like this is a huge surprise, either, given the plethora of surprising upsets throughout the 2012 season. The talent gap between the top players in the world and their inferiors has been shrinking for some time—especially on the women's side. 

So, with that in mind, let's take a look at which top players are set to fall in Round 1 of the U.S. Open.

Samantha Stosur (7) vs. Petra Martic

Neither one of these women have been able to put together any semblance of consistency in 2012. 

Martic has lost in the first round in each of her last two tournaments. That said, she played Stosur tough earlier in the year at the Madrid Open, taking her to the brink, but ultimately losing in three sets. Additionally, Martic has gone deep in a few tournaments after stunning heavy favorites in early rounds. 

Stosur has lost in the first or second round of a tournament six times in 2012, and she's ripe to be picked off again, if her current trends hold up. 

Petra Kvitova (5) vs. Polona Hercog

As good as Kvitova has been this year, she's never come close to winning the U.S. Open. She's lost in Round 1 two out of her four trips to Flushing Meadows—the last time being in 2011. 

Hercog has put together an impressive 2012 campaign—winning at Bastad and making a semifinals appearance at Charlston. She's beaten three top-10 players so far this year, as well. She'll play Kvitova tough and win in three sets—sending Kvitova packing after Round 1 for the second-consecutive year. 

Lucie Safarova (15) vs. Melanie Oudin

Oudin is going to give Safarova a run for her money in Round 1.

She's gotten out of the first round three times at the U.S. Open, and she's having a really nice season, to boot. She won at Charlottesville and Birmingham earlier this year, beating nine top-10 players along the way. 

Safarova has also had a nice season, but she's been ousted in this tournament in the first round two times out of four appearances. 

It's going to be an exciting grand slam tournament, as that'll make for three top women gone in the first day of play.

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