US Open day 1, women’s roundup: Serena decimates Sharapova, Barty survives scare

Serena Williams began her quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles crown by crushing five-time major winner Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 Monday to reach the second round of the US Open.

Williams needed only 59 minutes to rout her Russian rival, improving to 20-2 all-time against Sharapova with her 19th consecutive victory in the rivalry.

Eighth-seeded Williams, who next plays 121st-ranked US wildcard Caty McNally, blasted five aces and 16 winners while Sharapova made 20 unforced errors in the loss at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 37-year-old American, seeking her seventh US Open title, is chasing the all-time record of 24 Slam singles titles won by Margaret Court.

Sharapova, the 2006 US Open winner who defeated Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final, upset Simona Halep in the first round two years ago but could not revive that magic in the showcase opening-night match in the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.

Williams said that once she learned she would face Sharapova in her first match, “every practice after that was super focused and super intense.

“She’s such a good player. When you play her you have to be super focused. Whenever I play her I bring out some of my best tennis.”

Australian second seed Ashleigh Barty overcame a horrible start to oust 80th-ranked Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Reigning French Open champion advanced to a second-round match against America’s 73rd-ranked Lauren Davis.

“I probably would have preferred if it was a little bit more straightforward, but, yeah, happy the way we were able to fight through that and find a way after a pretty awful start,” said Barty.

Barty made 19 unforced errors to drop the first set in 28 minutes, but took nine of the last 11 games to book a date with American Lauren Davis.

“I was really pleased to be able to solve this riddle,” said Barty. “Zarina was able to put me in difficult positions.”

Third seed Karolina Pliskova, a 2016 US Open runner-up, edged 138th-ranked Czech compatriot Tereza Martincova 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3) after exchanging service breaks over the first six games.

“Not my best performance today for sure,” Pliskova said. “Not happy that I lost three breaks of serve in a row. That’s not possible for next time.”

She faces Georgian qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze next.

Results

Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Whitney Osuigwe (USA) 6-1, 7-5

Venus Williams (USA) bt Zheng Saisai (CHN) 6-1, 6-0

Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-3, 6-3

Dayana Yastremska (UKR x32) bt Monica Niculescu (ROM) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2

Sofia Kenin (USA x20) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3

Johanna Konta (GBR x16) bt Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

Margarita Gasparyan (RUS) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4

Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-1, 6-3

Zhang Shuai (CHN x33) bt Viktorija Golubic (SUI) 6-2, 6-1

Karolina Muchova (CZE) bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-4, 6-4

Ons Jabeur (TUN) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x27) 7-6 (10/8), 6-2

Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) bt Jennifer Brady (USA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-0

Mariam Bolkvadze (GEO) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x3) bt Tereza Martincova (CZE) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3)

Karolina Muchova (CZE) bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-4, 6-4

Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE x29) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3

Petra Martic (CRO x22) bt Tamara Zidansek (SLO) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1

Ana Bogdan (ROM) bt Harriet Dart (GBR) 6-3, 6-1

Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 6-0, 6-1

Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x12) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-3, 6-3

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Angelique Kerber (GER x14) 7-5, 0-6, 6-4

Fiona Ferro (FRA) bt Daria Gavrilova (AUS) 6-3, 6-4

Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) bt Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 6-4, 6-4

Maria Sakkari (GRE x30) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-1, 6-0

Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5)

Lauren Davis (USA) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 7-5, 6-2

Ashleigh Barty (AUS x2) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

(With inputs from AFP)