By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Second seed Iga Swiatek survived a surprise U.S. Open second-round test on Thursday, as American Coco Gauff prepared to dish out Olympic revenge in the evening session.
Swiatek arrived in New York on a roll after collecting her sixth major at Wimbledon and winning the Cincinnati tune-up tournament but she had to battle hard to beat unseeded Suzan Lamens 6-1 4-6 6-4.
“I felt like it kind depended on me and if I’m going to make mistakes or not,” said the 2022 tournament winner who closed out the match with an ace.
“Probably got a little tight in the second set and she for sure used the opportunity.”
Swiatek will play 29th seed Anna Kalinskaya in the third round.
It was far more routine in the first match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, where Italy’s 10th-ranked Lorenzo Musetti saved nine of the 11 break points he faced to beat unseeded Belgian David Goffin 6-4 6-0 6-2.
Age-defying American Venus Williams and 2021 finalist Leylah Fernandez will be among the biggest attractions on the outdoor courts when they play in the doubles first round later on Thursday.
The 45-year-old Williams made an emotional return to the singles main draw on Monday, losing in the first round to 11th seed Karolina Muchova. She and Canadian Fernandez face Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok and Australian Ellen Perez.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, will again be in the spotlight when she kicks off the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Croatian Donna Vekic, who knocked her out of last year’s Paris Games en route to the Olympic silver medal.
The third seed will hope for an easier time after needing nearly three hours to get past Ajla Tomljanovic in the opening round.
Gauff’s compatriot Tommy Paul, the men’s 14th seed, plays Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the final match on Ashe.
German third seed Alexander Zverev continues his bid for a maiden major title against Briton Jacob Fearnley in the late session at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed Osmond)
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