Serena, Kenin storm into US Open third round

NEW YORK: American star Serena Williams and Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin both advanced into the third round of the US Open after making light work of their respective opponents on Thursday.

Williams defeated Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan 6-2, 6-4 while Kenin needed an hour and 22 minutes to maneuver past Canadian youngster Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3.

38-year-old Williams closed out the first set with ease but had trouble in the second when she was broken twice by Gasparyan.

“I feel like every day I’m on a new journey, and in this tournament in particular and this year,” Williams said. “So I feel really good. I feel like I’m on that journey and I’m going in the right direction.”

The six-time US Open champion will next face compatriot and 2017 champion Sloane Stephens.

Kenin, who won her first Grand Slam title at this year’s Australian Open, did not face a break point in her match against 17-year-old Fernandez before nailing her convincing win.

The win puts Kenin into the third round at the US Open for the fourth year in a row. The American has come up short against top players like Maria Sharapova (2017), Karolina Pliskova (2018) and Madison Keys (2019) at this stage in the past.

This year, world number four Kenin counts herself among the top players, but the challenge won’t get any easier as Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, one of the most in-form players of 2020, awaits in the next round.

Elsewhere, Belarus’ fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka lost to compatriot Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3, ninth seed Johanna Konta of Britain was stunned by Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 and tenth seed Garbine Muguruza from Spain lost to Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 7-5, 6-3.

In men’s draw, second seed Dominic Thiem of Austria celebrated his 27th birthday by notching a comfortable 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 second-round victory over India’s Sumit Nagal.

The Austrian will now challenge 2014 champion Marin Cilic of Croatia in third round. Thiem has a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head series.