Iga Swiatek eases through to second round of US Open as eighth seed Maria Sakkari crashes out in New York
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Updated 28/08/2023 at 23:10 GMT
Iga Swiatek wasted no time in booking her spot in the second round of the 2023 US Open, beating Rebecca Peterson 6-0 6-1 in less than an hour on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The world No. 1 was at her ruthless best and takes on Daria Saville next. Elsewhere, Maria Sakkari was stunned by Rebeka Masarova. The eighth seed became the first big-name casualty as she was beaten 6-4 6-4 by the world No. 71.
Swiatek taking nothing for granted in US Open defence
Iga Swiatek laid down an ominous marker to her rivals with a 6-0 6-1 win over Rebecca Peterson in the first round of the US Open.
The defending champion and world No. 1 came into the final Grand Slam of the year seemingly not in top form, but wasted no time in booking her spot in the second round.
Swiatek was efficient behind both her first and second serve and accurate with her groundstrokes as she dished out a bagel in the opener.
Peterson had a great chance to get on the board on Swiatek’s first service game in the second set, only to pass up three break points. She did, however, level the set at 1-1 to the delight of the crowd on Arthur Ashe.
That delight was short-lived though, as Peterson was broken to love as Swiatek moved within sight of the finish line at a set and 3-1 clear.
The Pole secured the double break in the sixth game before sealing the straight-sets win on her second match point.
She needed just 58 minutes to get over the line, hitting 20 winners and converting five of six break points in a dominant performance.
"I really wanted to play solid and start the tournament with everything that I’ve focused on when I was practising here for the whole week, so I’m glad I could play such a great game," Swiatek said on-court after her victory.
"I just feel happy that with all the pressure and expectations I could just have fun on court."
She also joked that Frances Tiafoe - on Ashe after her - had told her yesterday not to win too quickly as he "doesn't have time to warm up".
Swiatek will play Australia’s Daria Saville next, after she beat Clervie Ngounoue 6-0 6-2 in an hour and 13 minutes.
World No. 4 Elena Rybakina also impressed as she beat Marta Kostyuk for the loss of just three games.
The Kazakhstani broke her Ukrainian opponent nine times en route to winning 6-2 6-1 and will play Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round.
No. 18 seed Victoria Azarenka also made it into the second round in straight sets, beating Fiona Ferro 6-1 6-2.
Azarenka, a three-time US Open finalist, hit 30 winners and broke her opponent seven times as she raced past her French counterpart.
It was a momentous day for Britain's Yuriko Lily Miyazaki, who made it through to the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Margarita Betova.
On her US Open debut, the 27-year-old recovered from 3-1 down in the first set to clinch five games in a row before completing the win in an hour and 20 minutes.
She takes on Belinda Bencic next after the 15th seed won 6-2 6-4.
Karolina Muchova also cruised into the second round but there were big-name exits as both Maria Sakkari and Sloane Stephens were dumped out.
Sakkari, the eighth seed, was downed 6-4 6-4 by Rebeka Masarova, while Stephens lost 2-6 7-5 4-6 to Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil.
World No. 71 Masarova fought back from 4-1 down in the first set and wasn't broken in the second as she claimed a surprise win.
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