US Open: Serena Sail Into 3rd Round, Ivanovic Stunned

Defending US open champions Serena Williams kept her bid for a third successive title on track, dropping just a game to oust fellow American Vania King on Thursday.

The top seed saw off the world no. 81 6-1 6-0 in just 52 minutes and face another countrywoman for the third straight match, this time Varvara Lepchenko, who beat Germany’s Mona Barthel 6-4 6-0.

The win means the five time champion continue her streak of never having lost before the third round at Flushing Meadows.

Serena Williams Stormed Through Her 2nd Rnd Contest Against Fellow American King on Thursday.
Serena Williams Stormed Through Her 2nd Rnd Contest Against Fellow American King on Thursday.

The 32-year-old, who seem to have recovered some form since the Cincinnati Masters, is yet to lose her serve all tournament. She lost just three points on her first serve and claimed 19 more winners against King.

The tie was always expected to be a one-side affair. However, King, who has had two career wins over Top 10 10 players- including Sara Errani-, managed to hold her next service game after been broken immediately by the world number one. And that was the only game she would win all day.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was among the seeded players to advance into the third round on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Czech seeded third cruised past compatriot Petra Cetkovska 6-4, 6-2 to progress into the round of 32.

Eighth seed Ana Ivanovic was beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Karolina Pliskova also of the Czech Republic earlier in the day.

Serb Ivanovic, despite a great week in Cincinnati, where she beat Maria Sharapova to get to the final, hit brick wall against Pliskova, who now faces No. 29 seed Australia’s Casey Dellacqua, who rallied from a set down to beat Chinese qualifier Wang Qiang on Court 13, 4-6 6-4 6-2.

It will be Pliskova’s first appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam.

Losing finalist in the last two edition, Victoria Azarenka, ousted American Christina McHale 6-3, 6-2.

The No. 16 seed Belarusian will play either Elena Vesnina of Russia or New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic in the third round.