US Open: Top-seed Pliskova eases past Kalinina in opening round

Washington, Sep 1 (IANS) Top seed Karolina Pliskova has reached the second round of the US Open with a clinical win over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.

Competing as the top seed at a Grand Slam for the second time in her career, Pliskova on Monday shook off some early rust in a tricky first set before registering a confident 6-4, 6-0 victory over Kalinina in a match that lasted a little over an hour.

“I think this match, especially the first set was in couple of periods,” Pliskova said after the match as per the WTA website. “I think I started not really great with the first game, but then I was able to play quite aggressively, and I was making a lot of points.”

Pliskova had stumbled last week in her first tournament of the season’s resumption at the Western & Southern Open, where she was defeated in her opening match by Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.

But she returned to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Monday with renewed confidence, and fired 26 winners and seven aces during the course of her victory.

Pliskova will now take on No. 32 seed Caroline Garcia, after the Frenchwoman defeated Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-3, 6-2 in her opening contest.

–IANS

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