(BBC) Defending US Open champion Sam Stosur powered past Croatia’s Petra Martic in the first round at Flushing Meadows yesterday.
The Australian brushed aside Martic to triumph 6-1 6-1 in 51 minutes.
Stosur, who beat Serena Williams to claim the title last year, won the first 19 points of the match and led 4-0 and 40-0 before dropping a point.
Third seed Maria Sharapova, the 2006 champion, was also untroubled as she saw off Hungary’s Melinda Czink 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round.
“I’m happy with the way I played. I thought I served really well. There isn’t really anything that I’d say I have to go out on the practice court and work on”
Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, seeded fifth, and France’s Marion Bartoli, seeded eighth, both enjoyed straight-set wins over Slovenia’s Polona Hercog and Jamie Hampton of the United States.
But Stosur enjoyed the most convincing victory, hitting 10 aces in a one-sided match.
She said afterwards: “I’m happy with the way I played. I thought I served really well. There isn’t really anything that I’d say I have to go out on the practice court and work on.
“On Tuesday I will go out there and practice, and I will be trying to fine tune a few things. But the first round is down, and it was a good start.”
Sharapova, this year’s French Open champion and a silver medalist at the London Olympics, also enjoyed her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It’s great to be back on a court where I have so many great memories,” Sharapova said. “This is the last Grand Slam event of the season. This is where it all happens.”
Three seeds suffered early exits, with Germany’s Julia Goerges and Sabine Lisicki both beaten in straight sets by Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic and Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, while Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues lost to another Czech player, Lucie Hradecka.
Top seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus begins her campaign later on Monday on Louis Armstrong against Alexandra Panova of Russia.
Three-time winner Kim Clijsters is in action in the evening session on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the Belgian taking on Victoria Duval of the United States as she begins her bid for a fourth title in her final Grand Slam before she retires.
(Infostrada Sports) – Results from the U.S. Open Women’s Singles Round 1 matches yesterday 3-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-2 6-2 31-Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-3 3-6 7-5 Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain) beat Sesil Karatantcheva (Kazakhstan) 6-4 6-1 Simona Halep (Romania) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 7-5 7-6(5) 15-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat Melanie Oudin (U.S.) 6-4 6-0 Romina Oprandi (Switzerland) beat Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-2 7-5 Mandy Minella (Luxembourg) beat Olivia Rogowska (Australia) 6-2 3-6 6-3 Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) beat Alexandra Cadantu (Romania) 6-0 6-3 19-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Jarmila Gajdosova (Australia) 6-3 7-6(3) Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat 16-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 4-6 6-2 6-2 Kristyna Pliskova (Czech Republic) beat 18-Julia Goerges (Germany) 7-6(4) 6-1 11-Marion Bartoli (France) beat Jamie Hampton (U.S.) 6-3 7-6(5) 9-Li Na (China) beat Heather Watson (Britain) 6-2 6-3 Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) beat 27-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 6-3 6-3 Casey Dellacqua (Australia) beat Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine) 6-2 6-3 Anna Tatishvili (Georgia) beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon (France) 6-2 6-0 7-Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat Petra Martic (Croatia) 6-1 6-1
(Infostrada Sports) – Results from the U.S. Open Men’s Singles Round 1 matches yesterday.
Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Guido Pella (Argentina) 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-2 Tim Smyczek (U.S.) beat Bobby Reynolds (U.S.) 1-6 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-4 Ivan Dodig (Croatia) beat Hiroki Moriya (Japan) 6-0 6-1 6-2 24-Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Denis Kudla (U.S.) 6-3 4-6 6-3 7-6(2) Jack Sock (U.S.) beat 22-Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-3 6-2 3-2 (Mayer retired) 3-Andy Murray (Britain) beat Alex Bogomolov Jr (Russia) 6-2 6-4 6-1 James Blake (U.S.) beat Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-3 17-Kei Nishikori (Japan) beat Guido Andreozzi (Argentina) 6-1 6-2 6-4.
