Second seed Aryna Sabalenka maintained her chase for the No. 1 WTA ranking with a comprehensive 6-3, 6-2 defeat of British challenger Jodie Burrage on Thursday to reach the US Open third round.
Unlike her opening victory which was played in heavy humidity, Sabalenka said she felt well into her comfort zone in her second outing at Flushing Meadows which took just 74 minutes.
“In the first match I didn’t feel well: it was super humid, I was sweating a lot, and the towels didn’t really work well for me.
“I kept sweating and couldn’t hold my racquet. I was really struggling and couldn’t serve.”
But those problems disappeared 48 hours later as she overwhelmed her 96th-ranked British challenger after taking weather matters into her own hands.
“I brought white towels to the match, so I was ready for whatever,” Sabalenka said.
“I was hoping that it’s (humidity) not gonna happen again. And I’m happy that it didn’t. I controlled better my serve, controlled myself better. and It wasn’t that humid today.”
Katie Boulter kept the flag flying for Britain with her 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 comeback to defeat Chinese qualifier Wang Yafan in nearly two and a half hours.
“It was an absolute battle. I worked really, really hard. I had a lot of chances
in the first set,” the winner said
“I think there were a few nerves in the first. After that set I relaxed a bit and started to be a little bit more aggressive and it really paid off.
“In the end, I just dug it out. We played some really good tennis.”
Last month’s Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova advanced over Italian Martina Trevisan 6-2, 6-2.It was the ninth straight win at a major for the Czech and puts her into a match against Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Eiina Svitolina sent over a tenth ace on her third match point to complete a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The Ukrainian also asked the chair umpire during an early changeover if her husband Gael Monfils was on court yet for his match.
“This definitely was a very tough match, I didn’t play so well, it was up and down,” Svitolina said after reaching the third round here during her last seven appearances.
The player who gave birth to a daughter last autumn and made a return to the WTA in April said she has been working on bringing more aggression into her game.
“I’m not young now so I have to hit stronger and not run as much,” the 33-year-old said.
“I’m trusting my physical condition, I’m happy to be back playing these kind of matches.”
Main photo:- US Open Day 4 Katie Boulter celebrates as she wins second round match by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
