Top seeded Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the third round of the US Open Wednesday, crushing Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1.
Sabalenka slapped winners practically at will past Iatcenko, a 22-year-old qualifier in her first Grand Slam singles main draw.
"Night atmosphere is always the best atmosphere," Sabalenka said.
A four-time Grand Slam champion who has triumphed in New York the last two years, Sabalenka relishes the hard courts of Flushing Meadow.
But she has struggled in recent months, suffering disappointing losses at both the French Open and Wimbledon and turning in middling performances at hard court warmup tournaments ahead of the US Open.
But against 160th-ranked Iatcenko she raced to a 5-0 lead before Iatcenko managed to get on the board.
Sabalenka dropped just four points on serve in the opening set and was broken just once to give Iatcenko her only game of the second set. Sabalenka responded by winning the next three to secure the win.
She will play Kamilla Rahhimova of Uzbekistan in the third round.
Latest stories
Sports Sabalenka storms into US Open third round as Pegula, Medvedev advance
Aryna Sabalenka took the next step on the road to a rare US Open three-peat, routing qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1 to join a raft of contenders cruising...
Sports US Open under the influence: content creators spark debate
Jessica Pegula is all in favor of bringing more fans into tennis, but the world number three said Wednesday it's important to keep...
Europe EU summons Russia envoys, eyes sanctions after Germany drone 'attack'
EU countries on Wednesday summoned Russia's envoys and discussed fresh sanctions after a drone incident in Germany that the bloc's foreign policy chief said bore...