Defending champion Sabalenka through in New York

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

Aryna Sabalenka grew successful powerfulness and assurance arsenic she began her US Open title defence pinch triumph complete Rebeka Masarova successful New York.

World number 1 Sabalenka overcame a shaky commencement to spot disconnected Swiss force Masarova 7-5 6-1.

She was watched connected from her container by Max Mirnyi - a 10-time Grand Slam doubles champion brought successful to enactment arsenic support to coach Anton Dubrov.

Mirnyi - nicknamed 'the Beast' during his playing profession because of his 6ft 4in tallness and fearless play - has been moving pinch Sabalenka connected her nett skills arsenic she bids to extremity nan Grand Slam play connected a high.

"I consciousness for illustration we improved a mates things together and I'm looking guardant to moving much pinch this awesome guy," Sabalenka said.

"Hopefully we tin yet amended my volley - possibly 1 time you will spot maine coming to nan nett much often but for now it's a activity successful progress.

"Now you tin telephone our squad Beauty and nan Beast."

Sabalenka is aiming to go nan first female since Serena Williams successful 2014 to successfully take sides nan singles title successful New York.

She has reached astatine slightest nan past 4 successful each of nan 3 Grand Slams truthful acold this season, losing nan finals of some nan French and Australian Open.

But nan three-time Grand Slam singles champion arrived astatine Flushing Meadows connected nan backmost of an unconvincing Cincinnati Open display, wherever she scraped past Emma Raducanu earlier losing to Elena Rybakina.

In an uneasy start, Sabalenka was surgery successful nan 5th crippled of nan first group by Masarova, earlier responding instantly to level astatine 3-3.

It remained connected service until Sabalenka earned a group constituent astatine 6-5 up - 1 which Masarova thought she had saved, only for nan apical seed to nutrient a stunning protect return to nan Swiss's overhead smash.

It forced Masarova into a lobbed return, which Sabalenka sent crashing down nan statement pinch a roar to return nan first set.

Masarova, nan world number 108, was deflated from location connected and held service conscionable erstwhile successful nan 2nd group arsenic Sabalenka raced to victory.

"I consciousness for illustration I didn't commencement my champion successful nan first games, but past I recovered my rhythm," Sabalenka said.

The Belarusian will look Polina Kudermetova next, nan Russian advancing aft force Nuria Parrizas-Diaz of Spain retired pinch injury.

Last year's semi-finalist Emma Navarro came done a tight first group to declare a 7-6 (11-9) 6-3 triumph against China's Wang Yafan.

The American, 24, came backmost from 5-3 down successful nan opening group and had to prevention 3 group points earlier yet closing retired nan tie-break.

Those missed opportunities played connected Wang's mind successful nan 2nd set, pinch 10th seed Navarro going connected to group up a gathering pinch compatriot Caty McNally.

Elsewhere, erstwhile Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova hit Russia's Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-3 7-6 (7-3) to group up a second-round lucifer against American McCartney Kessler.

Jelena Ostapenko will look either Taylor Townsend aliases Antonia Ruzic successful nan adjacent information aft nan Latvian hit China's Wang Xiyu 6-4 6-3.