Former US Open champion Angelique Kerber has crashed out of this year’s tournament in the first round, losing 7-5 0-6 6-4 to Kristina Mladenovic.

The 14th-seed Kerber lost in two hours and 24 minutes on the Grandstand court in New York as she fought back in vain from 2-0 down in the last set, drawing back to 3-3.

But her 54th-ranked French opponent wrapped up matters with two winners.

Three-time grand slam champion and former world No.1 Kerber is having a poor year and the German is also currently without a coach.

She reached the last 16 at the Australian Open in January but then crashed out in the first round at the French Open and second round at Wimbledon.

The latest disaster came in the wake of first-round defeats in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Women’s third seed and former finalist Karolina Pliskova dropped her first three service games and blew a double break 3-0 lead in the second before prevailing 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-3) in a tight first-round duel against 138th-ranked fellow Czech Tereza Martincova.

Eugenie Bouchard, a former Wimbledon finalist and top-10 player, lost her 11th straight tour match to last year’s semi-finalist Anastasija Sevastova 6-3 6-3.

And former Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig fell to Rebecca Peterson of Sweden 6-3 6-3.