Rybakina progresses as Kenin stuns Raducanu

Elena Rybakina notched a first-round victory on Tuesday at the US Open to reach the second round in New York for the fourth time.

The 25-year-old Rybakina who became a Wimbledon champion in 2022, needed 1 hour and 22 minutes to get past Aiava, who was making her US Open main-draw debut 6-1, 7-6(1) on the Grandstand.

Rybakina rolled through a routine first set and led by a break at 4-3 in the second set. However, 194th-ranked Aiava came back to put heavy pressure on the World No.4, as she sought her first Grand Slam main-draw win following four first-round losses at the Australian Open.

The 24-year-old Aiava blasted to three set points at 6-5, and was still in the mix for her second career Top 10 win. Aiava’s prior Top 10 win was over Aryna Sabalenka at 2019 ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Elena Rybakina will meet french Jessika Ponchet on Thursday for a place in the third round.

Elsewhere, Sofia Kenin of the United States prevailed in a closely-contested showdown between Grand Slam champions at the US Open on Tuesday, outlasting Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 on the Grandstand.

In their first meeting, 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin carved past 2021 US Open titlist Raducanu after 2 hours and 11 minutes of back-and-forth play.

Kenin is guaranteed to face a fellow American in the second round — either No.6 seed Jessica Pegula or Shelby Rogers. Rogers is retiring from tennis after this event.