US Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka says young fan is ‘inspiration’ after…see more

Sabalenka ‘inspired’ by ‘mini-me’ fan in dominant win

Aryna Sabalenka underlined her US Open title credentials with a dominant second-round win over Lucia Bronzetti that she said was inspired by a “mini-me” fan in the crowd.

Second seed Sabalenka, runner-up in New York last year, beat Italy’s Bronzetti 6-3 6-1 in just 61 minutes.

Afterwards she headed straight over to meet a young fan who had come dressed as Sabalenka, complete with a temporary tiger tattoo on her left arm.

“I just looked up, and I saw on the big screen, like, mini me. It was so cute,” Sabalenka said.

“It’s such a motivation to keep going to inspire the young generation. That was a very adorable moment.”

Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka was in control from the outset on a sweltering day in New York.

Bronzetti held her own early on, but ultimately the power of Sabalenka was too much for the world number 76.

The Australian Open champion snatched her only break opportunity of the first set to go up 4-2 and calmly saw it out from there.

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She promptly broke twice early in the second set and again to secure victory, finishing the match with an impressive 24 winners.

“I told myself that I had to stay focused from the first point to the last one, and make sure you’re not going to spend a crazy amount of hours [playing] so you’re re

She promptly broke twice early in the second set and again to secure victory, finishing the match with an impressive 24 winners.

“I told myself that I had to stay focused from the first point to the last one, and make sure you’re not going to spend a crazy amount of hours [playing] so you’re ready for the next one,” she said.

“It’s tough conditions to play in but I’m happy I was able to manage the win in two sets.”

Gauff shakes off serving struggles to advance
Defending champion Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in last year’s final, overcame a scrappy first set to beat Maria Tatjana later at Flushing Meadows.

Gauff memorably won her first Grand Slam singles title in New York last year and is now on a nine-match winning streak at her home major.

She struggled for rhythm in the first set, making 20 unforced errors and hitting seven double faults before eventually closing it out.

The American was much improved in the second set, approaching the net more and relocating her first serve to see off the veteran Maria.

“I think I played well overall,” Gauff, 20, said.

“If I could have served better that first set would have been a lot easier.”

She will face a tough third-round match against 27th seed Elina Svitolina after the Ukrainian beat compatriot Anhelina Kalinina 6-1 6-2.