Former champions Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams advanced to the second round at the US Open along with second-seeded Simona Halep, fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki.
2006 U.S. Open champ trailed 2-4 in the opening set, then ripped off 10 straight games to complete her straight set 6-4, 6-0 triumph against fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko. The fifth seed missed the 2013 U.S. Open with a shoulder injury and has not been to the final at Flushing Meadows since winning the title eight years ago.
Sharapova, who improved to 17-0 in night matches at the U.S. Open, said that she was happy that she was able to step it up and play well, Fox News reported.
Venus rallied came from a set behind to beat 43-year-old Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. The American claimed two of her seven Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open, winning it in 2000 and 2001 while also finishing as runner-up in 1997 and 2002.
Venus, who has, however, lost in the second round in each of her last three trips to Flushing Meadows, said that it was not the ideal start, but added that Date-Krumm is a tricky player. She said that the Japanese started coming up with some really good shots off her serve.
Venus said that Date-Krumm just goes for runs, and she gives her a lot of credit for winning the first set and really making it extremely challenging.
Halep, the French Open runner-up, came from behind to beat NCAA champion Daniele Rose Collins of the United States, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-2 and start the year's fourth Grand Slam on a winning note. The Romanian has never advanced past the fourth round at the U.S. Open.
Halep, who will next face Slovakia's Jana Cepelova, said that there is a lot of pressure on her, and added that everyone is telling her that she has chances to win.
Radwanska, the former Wimbledon runner-up from Poland, pasted helpless Canadian Sharon Fichman, 6-1, 6-0, in a mere 47 minutes and will next face China's Peng Shuai.
The 10th-seeded Wozniacki had her hands full on Monday and held a 6-1, 3-6, 2-0 advantage against Magdalena Rybarikova when the Slovak had to call it quits because of a right thigh injury.
2009 runner-up Wozniacki said that it is unfortunate that Rybarikova had to retire, adding that it would have been a good finish, especially for the crowd.
Meanwhile, sixth-seeded German left-hander Angelique Kerber snuck past Russian Ksenia Pervak, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, and ninth-seeded former top-ranked star Jelena Jankovic subdued fellow Serb Bojana Jovanovski, 6-2, 6-3. Jankovic was a U.S. Open runner-up back in 2008.
Only Spain's Garbine Muguruza was a beaten seed on Monday. Croatian qualifier Mirjana Lucic-Baroni pulled off the minor upset with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win, the report added.
