Aryna Sabalenka has already booked her place in the second round of the US Open, and Monday’s schedule completed the remaining first-round matches in her quarter of the draw. The world No. 2 will be keeping a close eye on several strong contenders who also advanced.
Rybakina and Mertens sail through as Sabalenka section heats up
France’s Elsa Jacquemot scored a notable win, defeating Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-3 with confident baseline play. Belgian Elise Mertens was even more ruthless, overpowering American Alyssa Ahn 6-1, 6-0 in just over an hour. Spain’s Cristina Bucsa joined them in round two, brushing aside American qualifier Claire Liu 6-2, 6-1.
Fourth seed Elena Rybakina produced a commanding performance against Julieta Pareja, sealing a 6-3, 6-0 win that underlined her status as one of the main threats in the draw.
The only setback for Belarus on the day came when Aliaksandra Sasnovich fell to rising American teenager Iva Jovic, who thrilled the home crowd with her fearless shot-making and composure in a 7-6, 6-3 triumph that marked another memorable breakthrough.
With Sabalenka already safely through, her quarter has already delivered a mix of dominant wins and surprise results, setting the stage for plenty of intrigue in the rounds ahead.