US Open 2021 - Ashleigh Barty beats Vera Zvonareva in first round, faces Clara Tauson next
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ByEurosport
Updated 31/08/2021 at 19:56 GMT
Ashleigh Barty won her first-round match at the US Open as she beat former world No 2 Vera Zvonareva 6-2 7-6(7). World No 1 Barty was given a tough test in the second set and had to save a set point in the tiebreak before finishing the match by winning three points in a row. She faces Clara Tauson next.
Ashleigh Barty
Image credit: Getty Images
World No 1 Ashleigh Barty kicked off her US Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Vera Zvonareva in the first round.
Barty, who is bidding to win her second major of 2021 after lifting the trophy at Wimbledon last month, came through 6-2 7-6(6) on Arthur Ashe.
The Australian will next face 18-year-old Clara Tauson, who beat Clara Burel on her US Open debut 7-5 6-0.
Barty looked impressive as she hit 31 winners compared to just nine from former world No 1 Zvonareva.
Barty also converted four of her five break-point chances, but was broken when she was serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set.
Zvonareva then had a chance to take the match into a third set at 7-6 ahead in the tiebreak but she couldn't take it and Barty won the next three points in a row to clinch victory.
Barty is yet to make it past the fourth round of the US Open, losing at that stage on her last two appearances.
However, she is the favourite to win the final Grand Slam of the year after a strong summer that saw her win Wimbledon and also the Western & Southern Open.
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