Muguruza advances at US Open, Konta out

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza has advanced easily to the second round of the US Open, needing just an hour to beat American Varvara Lepchenko.

The third-seeded Spaniard looked efficient in the tournament’s first match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, firing 16 winners, twice as many as her opponent, in the 6-0 6-3 victory.

Muguruza is arguably the hottest player on the women’s tour and is considered one of the favourites, despite never having been past the second round at Flushing Meadows.

“Oh, I don’t really care, because I don’t feel, I don’t feel I’m a favourite here, because I never really played very good,” Muguruza said.

Seventh seed Johanna Konta was stunned by 78th-ranked Serbian Aleksandra Krunic 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Briton Konta was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last month and was one of eight women who had a shot at the No.1 ranking going into the US Open.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the 13th seed, beat former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 7-5 7-5 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Other matches involving seeded players to finish quickly during Monday’s opening session included 18th seed Caroline Garcia of France defeating Czech Tereza Martincova 6-0 6-1 and 31st seed Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia defeating Italian Camila Giorgi 6-3 6-4.

Julia Goerges, the 30th seed beat fellow German Annika Beck 6-1 6-0 but 24th seed Kiki Bertens was a casualty, losing 6-3 6-4 to Maria Sakkari of Greece.

American 18-year-old wildcard Sofia Kenin upset 32nd seed Lauren Davis 7-5 7-5 to reach the second round of a grand slam for the first time in her career.

Czech Kristyna Pliskova was the first player to progress to the second round after dispatching Japan’s Misa Eguchi 6-2 6-2 in less than an hour.

Other first-round winners were American Sachia Vickery, France’s Alize Cornet, Croatia’s Donna Vekic, Chinese pair Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai, Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine and Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

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