NEW YORK: Iga Swiatek overcame a slew of unforced errors to secure her spot in the second round of the US Open with a 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) victory over Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Tuesday.

Swiatek, who counts the 2022 US Open among her five Grand Slam titles, converted three of six break-point chances but also racked up 41 unforced errors en route to securing the victory in one hour and 52 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The top-seeded Pole built a 4-0 double break lead and looked poised to run away with an easy win but Rakhimova consolidated a break to get within a game before Swiatek went on to seal the first set with her third love hold of the match.

Swiatek consolidated an early break with another love hold for a 3-1 lead in the second set but suddenly started showing signs of frustration as her shots were off target and Rakhimova refused to back down from the challenge.

Swiatek had a chance to serve out the match but Rakhimova broke to get to 5-5 as the second set went to a tiebreak where the Pole saved three set points before sneaking through to the second round.

“At the beginning [I felt] good, but then I got a little bit tight and my opponent used that,” Swiatek said. “I tried to get back to my game. I’ve just been trying to adjust to the courts,” Swiatek added. “I just wanted to feel how it is on Arthur Ashe and I’m sure that day by day I’m going to get more rhythm.”

Four of Swiatek’s five Grand Slam titles have come on the red clay of Roland Garros, including her third straight French Open title this year.

Swiatek has also won titles this year at Doha, Indian Wells, Rome and Madrid — where she saved three championship points to beat Aryna Sabalenka and retain her title.

But the 23-year-old from Warsaw may have been feeling the effects of so many matches when she fell to eventually gold medallist Zheng Qinwen in the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics, eventually settling for bronze.

There were early upsets with seeds in both the men’s and women’s draws being knocked out.

Czech 18-year-old Jakub Mensik knocked out Felix Auger Aliassime, beating the Canadian 19th seed 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to advance to the second round.

On the women’s side, Caroline Dolehide recovered from losing the first set to knock out fellow American and 11th seed Danielle Collins 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 and set up a second-round match against Italian Sara Errani.

But British number one Katie Boulter came from a set down to defeat Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS OFF TO BLAZING STARTS

On Monday, defending champion Novak Djokovic eased into the second round with a straight-sets victory over qualifier Radu Albot as Coco Gauff launched her defence of the women’s title with a convincing victory.

Djokovic, looking to become the first player to capture 25 Grand Slam titles, capped the evening session under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Moldovan qualifier Albot.

Sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 and eighth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway advanced with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 win over China’s Bu Yunchaokete.

Ruud next faces French veteran Gael Monfils, who beat Diego Schwartzman 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in the Argentinian’s final Grand Slam appearance as he heads into retirement.

Taylor Fritz flew past Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 as he launched his quest to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick triumphed at the 2003 U.S. Open.

He was joined in the second round by Cincinnati runner-up Frances Tiafoe after the 20th seed battled past fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

Denmark’s Holger Rune was an early casualty, the 15th seed sent packing by American Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

Gauff, meanwhile, powered into the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over France’s Varvara Gracheva as the American shrugged off disappointing performances in Toronto and Cincinnati to make a fast start at the year’s final major.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion and one of the pre-tournament favourites, shone under the lights as she beat Australian Priscilla Hon 6-3, 6-3.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, seeded eighth, eased into the second round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera.

Frenchwoman Clara Burel recovered from being blanked in the opening set to beat 2017 champion Sloane Stephens 0-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Also, three-time US Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka joined seeded players Madison Keys, Paula Badosa and Elina Svitolina in advancing in the women’s draw.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2024