Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin started her US Open campaign with a convincing straight sets win over Yanina Wickmayer, dropping just four games on her way to the second round.
The world number four had looked far from her best in her only match since the restart, losing in straight sets to Alize Cornet at the Western & Southern Open, though consolidated a break in the opening game of this contest for a quick 2-0 lead out on Court Louis Armstrong.
A semifinalist at Flushing Meadows 11 years ago, Wickmayer missed three break back points as Kenin held for a 3-1 lead and then lost serve from 40-0 up to hand the world number four a double break lead. After some pressure early on in the set Kenin was now looking untroubled on serve, and closed out the set at the first time of asking.
The second set proved to follow an almost identical pattern to the first. Kenin once again consolidated an early break for a 2-0 lead, and, after saving a break point to hold for 3-1, broke for the fourth time in the contest to go just two games away from victory. Wickmayer forced the fourth seed to serve it out, though the American converted a first match point on serve to seal a 6-2, 6-2 victory in just an hour and seven minutes.
There were tight moments in this match, particularly in the early stages, though there was little that Wickmayer could do to halt Kenin’s charge into the second round today. The American was not broken once and took all of her break point opportunities in one of the most impressive performances of the opening round.
Kenin will be aware that there will likely be tougher tests waiting for her as she looks to win her home Grand Slam tournament, though will be a threat to anyone if she continues to build on this opening round performance. Either Leylah Fernandez or Vera Zvonareva await in round two.