NEW YORK: Serena Williams continued her hunt for a record seventh US Open title with a straight-set win on Thursday as Andy Murray crashed out in the second round at Flushing Meadows.
Williams, the tournament’s third seed, dispatched unseeded Russian Margarita Gasparyan 6-2, 6-4 under the roof of a near-empty Arthur Ashe Stadium on a wet New York evening.
The 38-year-old closed out the first set with ease before a slight wobble in the second when she was broken twice by Gasparyan, before progressing into the third round.
“I’m just happy to get through it and try to focus on the next round,” said Williams, who will take on 2017 champion Sloane Stephens in the last 32.
In the men’s draw, Andy Murray, slumped to a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 defeat against a dominant Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The 15th seed Canadian smashed 24 aces and 52 winners in a one-sided affair that saw Murray muster just two and nine respectively.
“I just felt like everything was coming in, my toss, my rhythm. Everything was going well through the whole match,” said Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Williams is seeking a record-equalling 24th singles Grand Slam title at a subdued, spectator-free Billie Jean King US National Tennis Center in New York.
A tournament victory next week would also see her break away from Chris Evert, on six titles, as the most decorated US Open champion of the women’s game in the modern era.
Williams’ American compatriot Sofia Kenin, the number two seed, continued her impressive form this year with a straightforward 6-4, 6-3 victory over Canadian Leylah Fernandez to progress into the third round.
The reigning Australian Open champion Kenin is yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows as she bids for her second Grand Slam title of the year, and of her career.
“I feel like I found a groove. I’m really focused on every shot,” said the Moscow-born player who will take on 27th seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia in the next round.
PIRONKOVA RETURNS
In early men’s matches, second seed Dominic Thiem celebrated his 27th birthday with an easy straight-sets win against India’s Sumit Nagal.
The Austrian triumphed 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 against Nagal, who became the first Indian man since 2013 to reach the second round of a Grand Slam.
Thiem will play 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic for a place in the fourth round after the Croatian advanced in four sets against Slovakia’s Norbert Gombos.
“He’s one of the big champions of the last decade, Thiem said of Cilic.
“It’s not a guy I want to face in the third round.”
Third seed and beaten finalist last year Daniil Medvedev made light work of Australia’s 116th-ranked Christoper O’Connell, easing into round three 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Elsewhere, sixth seed Italian Matteo Berrettini brushed aside France’s Ugo Humbert 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) while Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut progressed against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
In the women’s competition on Thursday, Tsvetana Pironkova, returning after a lengthy time away from the game following the birth of her son, advanced at the expense of Garbine Muguruza.
The unseeded Bulgarian knocked out the 10th Spaniard 7-5, 6-3 in 1hr 21 min.
“Coming from three year of absence on the tour, you always have your doubts. Right now my results actually make me really happy because it shows that I did the right things preparing for this comeback,” said Pironkova.
Seventh seed Madison Keys of the USA also progressed, making light work of Spain’s Aliona Bolsova 6-2, 6-1, while Stephens easily overcame Belarusian Olga Govortsova 6-2, 6-2. British ninth seed Jo Konta became another high-ranking woman to be sent packing, losing in three sets to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea after going a set ahead. — AFP
US Open results
Men (second round)
Matteo Berrettini (ITA x6) bt Ugo Humbert (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6); Andrey Rublev (RUS x10) bt Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4); Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x14) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt John Millman (AUS) 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3; Daniil Medvedev (RUS x3) bt Christopher O’Connell (AUS) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Roberto Bautista (ESP x8) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Vasek Pospisil (CAN) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x25) 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Alex De Minaur (AUS x21) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5; Karen Khachanov (RUS x11) bt Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-1; Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN x15) bt Andy Murray (GBR) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; Marin Cilic (CRO x31) bt Norbert Gombos (SVK) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5; Dominic Thiem (AUT x2) bt Sumit Nagal (IND) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
Women (second round)
Madison Keys (USA x7) bt Aliona Bolsova (ESP) 6-2, 6-1; Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Ysaline Bonaventure (BEL) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Donna Vekic (CRO x18) bt Patricia Tig (ROU) 6-2, 6-1; Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x10) 7-5, 6-3; Maria Sakkari (GRE x15) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2; Amanda Anisimova (USA x22) bt Katrina Scott (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; Sloane Stephens (USA x26) bt Olga Govortsova (BLR) 6-2, 6-2; Serena Williams (USA x3) bt Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) 6-2, 6-4; Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x5) 6-1, 6-3; Karolina Muchova (CZE x20) bt Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4); Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Johanna Konta (GBR x9) 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4; Ons Jabeur (TUN x27) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 7-6 (10/8), 6-0; Sofia Kenin (USA x2) bt Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 6-4, 6-3
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