Iga Swiatek made quick work of Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in a 6-0 6-1 victory in the second round to underline her title credentials at the US Open.
Swiatek survived a slight scare in the first round when she committed a slew of unforced errors before sealing a hard-fought victory over Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, but against Shibahara, she was clinical and swatted her Japanese opponent aside in just over an hour.
“I’m trying to be really solid and picking the right shots and being proactive. I’m happy with everything,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview.
“I just felt the rhythm much better. 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 Pole served with real accuracy in Thursday’s first set, winning 89 per cent of points on her first serve and converting three out of four break point opportunities to race into the lead against a frustrated Shibahara, who had no answers.
Grand slam main draw debutant Shibahara, who left Daria Saville distraught after beating the Australian in the first round, defended three break points in a marathon service game to hold for 1-1 and avoid the dreaded ‘double bagel’.
That was the extent of her resistance as Swiatek won the next five games in a row to clinch victory.
Swiatek said she had tried to block out the scoreline and focus on playing at her best level throughout the match.
Swiatek, who won the third of her five Grand Slams at Flushing Meadows in 2002, is next in action against either Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy.
Jasmine Paolini played just three points before advancing when Karolina Pliskova appeared to injure her left foot. The No.5-seeded Paolini, who reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon in her breakout season, advanced past the second round of the US Open for the first time.
“Finally, we made third round!” she said with a laugh during an interview on the court.
Paolini will next play No.30 seed Yulia Putintseva.
No.4 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, withdrew from the tournament with an undisclosed injury before her second-round match, sending French qualifier Jessika Ponchet to the weekend.
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