US Open 2022: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek laid down an early marker as stormed into the 2nd round. 8th seed Jessica Pegula and 9th seed Garbine Muguruza also won their first-round matches in straight sets.
US Open: World No. 1 Swiatek decimates Paolini to storm into 2nd round (AP Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Iga Swiatek lost only 3 games to Jasmine Paolini of Italy
- Jessica Pegula clinched an easy win in her opening round
- 9th seed Garbine Muguruza was made to work hard to hard in 1st round
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek made sure there were no hiccups in the opening round of women’s singles at the US Open 2022. She powered into the second round at the Flushing Meadows, hammering Italy’s unseeded Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-0 in a little over an hour at the Louis Amstrong Stadium.
Swiatek showed no mercy to Paolini as she laid down an early marker following the early exit at the Wimbledon earlier this year. Swiatek is looking to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2014 to win as many as 7 WTA titles in a calendar year.
Appearing in New York for the first time as the world’s top-ranked player, Swiatek looked the part, reeling off the last seven games to set up a meeting with either Belgium’s Greet Minnen or American Sloane Stephens.
Swiatek is just 5-4 since her 37-winning streak earlier this year, but the two-time French Open champion got sharper with plenty of support from Polish fans in New York.
Home favourite and 8th seed Jessica Pegula also came up with a routine victory 6-2, 6-2 against Switzerland’s Golubic to book a spot in the 2nd round.
9th seed Garbine Muguruza was made to work hard though for her first-round win by World No. 57 Clara Tauson of Denmark. Muruguza needed 2 hours and 2 minutes to beat Tauson 6-3, 7-6 (5).
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