US Open women’s draw day two review – Wozniacki cruises
US Open top seed Caroline Wozniacki conceded just two games to American wildcard Chelsey Gullickson in an opening round match that was over in just one hour and one minute.
The unranked Gullickson was always likely to be out of her depth against the most in-form player in women’s tennis right now, and 30 unforced errors did not help her cause, as Wozniacki cruised to the 6-1, 6-1 victory in what was an ideal start to the tournament for the 2009 runner-up.
The pair were forced to wait until 10 minutes before midnight to take to the court as the day’s previous centre court matches dragged on in the New York heat, beginning in the day session with Jelena Jankovic’s three set escape against teenager Simona Halep and followed by men’s third seed Novak Djokovic’ five-set tussle in the second match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The third match of the day on centre court also went the distance, with 14th seed Maria Sharapova forced to come from behind to claim her 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Jarmila Groth before men’s top seed Rafael Nadal took almost three hours to win past Teymuraz Gabashvili in the first night match on the court.
“Definitely it's a long night,” Wozniacki said afterwards. “The matches before on the centre court were so long. I don't think there was even one match [completed in] two sets. So no-one expected that. But, you know, it was nice. A win is a win, so it doesn't really matter what time I get on. As long as I win, I'm happy.”
Wozniacki has been very happy of late if that’s the case, claiming the title in three of the last four tournaments she contested in the lead-up to the US Open. The world No. 2 will now face Kai-Chen Chang of Chinese Taipei in her second round match.
Also through their first round matches on day two were 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was pushed to three sets by Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm, and Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva, who defeated Slovakia’s Zuzana Kucova 6-2, 6-1 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The upset of the day came courtesy of the Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko, who ousted eighth seed Na Li 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. The loss was the first time the Chinese player was knocked out of the tournament in the first round since she made her debut at Flushing Meadows in 2005.
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