September 1, 2024; Flushing, new, USA; Elise Mertens (BEL) serves against Aryna Sabalenka (not picture) in a female single match on day seven of 2024 US Open Tennis tournament at Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Pictures No. 2 Seed Elise Mertens from Belgium needed only 55 minutes to beat Taylor Townsend 6-1, 6-0 in the first round at Singapore Tennis Open on Tuesday.
Mertens met six breaking points but saved them all, while converting 5 out of 8 opportunities to break Townsend’s serve. Mertens goes on to meet Germany’s Tatjana Maria, who was a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ukrainian enemy Yuliia Starodubtseva.
No. 5 Seed Polina Kudetova in Russia also played a quick match, but she came out at the losing end when Australian Kimberly Birrell advised 6-3, 6-2 in 61 minutes. No. 4 Seed Xinyu Wang of China defeated Canadian Rebecca Marino 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, while Olivia Gadecki from Australia upset Japanese eighth seed Moyka Uchijima 6-1, 6-7 (1), 6-2.
Other winners Tuesday included American Hailey Baptiste, Russian Maria Timofeeva and Switzerland Jil Teichmann.
Upper Austria ladies Linz
Russian sixth seed Anastasia Potapova quickly did work by Austrian Julia Grabher, 6-2, 6-2 in 67 minutes during the first round in Linz, Austria.
Ukrainian Fifth Seeds Daya Yastremska had a tougher time to move forward, but she came past Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 7-6 (6), 7-5, went 6-for-8 in breaking points and 3-for-3 in breaking points converted along the way . The only other seeded player in action was Denmark’s Clara Tauson, the eighth seed, who beat Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-3.
Russia’s Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Slovak Rebecca Sramkova, Spaniard Sara Sorives Tormo and Croaters Petra Martic and Antonia Ruzic.
-Field level media
