Aryna Sabalenka eased past Priscilla Hon to reach the second round of the 2024 US Open despite not playing her best tennis.
The second seed is aiming to go one better than last year and add the title in New York to her two Australian Open triumphs.
It has been a frustrating summer for the 26-year-old, who missed Wimbledon with a shoulder injury, but she lifted the title in Cincinnati last week to underline her credentials as one of the strong favourites in New York.
She passed the first test against Australian qualifier Hon and was ultimately pleased with her performance.
“If we compare first round in Cincinnati and first round here, I would say that here I did much better,” Sabalenka told the US Open’s official website.
“But if we compare it with the semis and final, then I think I didn’t play my best tennis today.
“I’m happy that even though I didn’t feel my best I was able to stay in the game and to put so much pressure on my opponent. I’m quite happy with the level today.”
Sabalenka broke in the first game of the match and then secured another break in the ninth to take a one-set advantage.
The pair then shared breaks early in the second before Sabalenka came from 40-0 down to move 4-2 ahead.
She then saved three break points from 0-40 in the next game to close in on victory.
That ruthlessness proved crucial in the end as she wrapped up the win in an hour and 19 minutes on Arthur Ashe.
Sabalenka plays Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, whom she has beaten once before, and could meet Coco Gauff in the semi-finals should both progress that far.
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 21:55:00
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