Sabalenka races into US Open third round

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round of the US Open on Wednesday, defeating Russian qualifier Polina Iatcenko 6-1, 6-1. The Ukrainian tennis star, who recently suffered defeats at the French Open and Wimbledon, dominated Iatcenko, a 22-year-old qualifier making her first Grand Slam singles appearance. Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion who has won New York twice before, expressed her preference for the vibrant night atmosphere at Flushing Meadows.

Despite Iatcenko getting a single point in the match, Sabalenka maintained a 5-0 lead in the first set, breaking her opponent just once. She continued her strong performance in the second set, winning three consecutive games to seal the victory. Sabalenka will next face Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rahimova in the third round.