Top seed Iga Swiatek breezed into the third round of the US Open with an emphatic win over Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara.
The five-time major winner dropped just one game against Shibahara, who managed to hold serve early in the second set to avoid a dreaded ‘double bagel’.
Swiatek, 23, didn’t face a single break point as she wrapped up the 6-0 6-1 victory in 65 minutes.
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from her second-round match against France’s Jessika Ponchet because of “injuries”, handing the world number 143 a walkover.
“I did not want to finish the last Grand Slam of the year this way but I have to listen to my body, and I hope I can close out the remainder of the year strong,” Rybakina, the fourth seed, said in a statement.
Ponchet will face two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane overcame injury struggles to beat Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-3 6-3.
Earlier, Italy’s fifth seed Jasmine Paolini progressed after Karolina Pliskova retired just three points into their second-round encounter.
The 2016 runner-up was 30-15 down in the first game when she pulled up injured.
Czech Pliskova requested medical treatment for her foot, but was unable to continue and limped off Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Paolini, a finalist at this year’s French Open and Wimbledon, will face Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva next.
- Swiatek learns lesson from first-round struggle
Swiatek was made to work hard to beat lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round on Tuesday, committing a remarkable 41 unforced errors before clinching a 6-4 7-6 (8-6) win.
But the world number one was clinical against Shibahara, who managed to hold serve early in the second set to avoid a dreaded ‘double bagel’.
Swiatek, 23, didn’t face a single break point as she wrapped up the 6-0 6-1 victory in 65 minutes.
“I was a bit tense in my last match, so today I just wanted to focus on the right things and focus on myself,” the five-time major winner said.
Swiatek, who won the 2022 title in New York, will face Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova after her 5-7 6-1 6-2 comeback victory over Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy.
Meanwhile, Italy’s fifth seed Jasmine Paolini progressed after Karolina Pliskova retired just three points into their second-round encounter.
The 2016 runner-up was 30-15 down in the first game when she pulled up injured.
Czech Pliskova requested medical treatment for her foot, but was unable to continue and limped off Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Paolini, a finalist at this year’s French Open and Wimbledon, will face Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva next.
Elsewhere on Thursday, Russian 21st seed Mirra Andreeva suffered a surprise 6-1 6-4 defeat by American Ashlyn Kreuger, who is ranked 59th in the world.
Sixth seed Jessica Pegula claimed a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 victory against fellow American Sofia Kenin, who knocked out 2021 champion Emma Raducanu in the first round.
