NEW YORK: Poland’s Iga Swiatek crushed Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-3 6-0 to reach the second round of the US Open on Tuesday.
Appearing in New York for the first time as the highest-ranked player in the world, Swiatek has watched the role, reeling off the last seven games to set up a meeting with Belgian Greet Minnen or American Sloane Stephens.
The top-seeded Swiatek is the favorite to win the final Grand Slam of the year after dominating the French Open in June and riding a 37-match winning streak that was snapped in the third round of Wimbledon.
But she had looked less impressive in recent outings, going 4-4 in her last eight matches before warning the pitch on a hot, humid morning at Louis Armstrong Stadium.