The US Open has already kicked off with the best tennis players all over the world competing all out at the Flushing Meadows.
In the men’s division, Djokovic remains the heavy favourite from the rest of the pack after winning the same tournament in last year’s iteration.
Like Djokovic, Serena Williams is also the favourite to win it this time in the US Open women’s division. She remains hell-bent on getting that elusive 24th Grand Slam title as she’ll have to face some stiff competition as well.
With the first round already underway, allow SBOBET to serve you with the latest updates in the said tournament.
Serena Williams asserts mastery over Maria Sharapova
Long-time rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were slated to meet at the US Open’s opening round, and the former was simply invincible in this game.
For almost an hour of action, Williams was able to zone in to dominate Sharapova, 6-1, 6-1 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium last Monday night. It was their first-ever matchup at the US Open.
The 37-year-old came in ready to play in this game. Williams scored 16 winners and made fewer errors with only 12 while out-acing Sharapova five to one. What even made her performance more impressive is that she was perfect on her serves last night – scoring 100-per cent off of her opponent’s second serves.
With the Saginaw, Michigan native fully locked in, Sharapova simply never stood a chance.
“I think I was able to zone in, especially down breakpoints, not letting [Sharapova] in the match, because she’s the kind of player that keeps going. Even towards the end, she just wants to keep fighting,” said Williams post-game.
“I wanted to make sure I stayed focused,” she further reiterated.
After struggling with back spasms earlier in the summer, Williams look fitter and healthier this time around after pulling out in the Coupe Rogers final and in the Cincinnati Masters. She is set to face American wildcard Catherine McNally in the second round.
Madison Keys moves on to the second round
Since her fine performance in the recent Cincinnati Masters, Madison Keys has been making a solid case to win this year’s US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
The American star has reached three grand slam finals since being a finalist in the US Open back in 2017. She had her share of injury problems throughout the year, but she is peaking at the right time over these past few weeks.
Keys defeated three former number ones in the Cincinnati Masters and she was solid at the Western and Southern Open, winning her first major title in her career. Her campaign catapulted her back in the WTA Top 10, raising her US Open 2019 odds of winning it all in this tournament.
The 24-year-old started the US Open in a good note by defeating Misaki Doi in their first-round matchup last Monday night, 7-5, 6-0.
In what was a tight first set that produced some of the best US Open 2019 highlights, Keys used her power game to put the pressure on Doi. The latter struggled later on, hitting two unforced errors plus a double fault to give Keys the advantage. From there, the American didn’t look back as she ran away with a flawless second set.
All momentum is on her side now with an eight-game winning streak. She will have to continue to win more matches in order to grab her first US Open title. Keys is set to face Zhu Lin of China in the next round.
Naomi Osaka finds solace in New York
Top-seeded player Naomi Osaka returns to the place where she won her first Grand Slam, and she hopes to have a better showing this time after experiencing a myriad of struggles for the 2019 calendar year.
Osaka experienced hardship one after another since her US and Australian Open triumph. The Japanese sensation lost in the third round of the French Open and was eliminated right away during the Wimbledon. She also lost in the Coupe Rogers and in the Cincinnati Masters quarterfinals as well.
However, she remains to be on top of the WTA Rankings and what better way to show that she’s no fluke than by proving herself once again in the US Open at New York – a place that she calls home.
“I think New York is home. Whenever I come back I feel instantly comfortable,” said Osaka in an interview with CBS Sports.
The 21-year-old will open her US Open campaign against Russian Anna Blinkova on Tuesday night.
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