Sabalenka continues tie-break success in US Open win

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka set the platform for a US Open second-round victory over Polina Kudermetova by continuing her formidable tie-break record.

Sabalenka, 27, claimed her 17th consecutive tie-break in a 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 win in Wednesday's night session in New York.

Being able to lock in when it mattered proved crucial once again for the world number one, who has won 10 of her past 11 matches when winning a first-set tie-break.

Taking the opener dampened her Russian opponent's spirits and led to Sabalenka going on to break early in the second set.

Sabalenka's service game was still a little scratchy - digging deep to save two break points before holding for 3-1 - but her level improved as she raced towards victory.

On the reason why she has been so dominant in tie-breaks this season, the three-time Grand Slam champion said: "I'm just trying to stay aggressive and fight for every point.

"I know every point can be a key moment of the set so I'm just trying to stay strong and play aggressive."

Sabalenka is aiming to become the first player to defend the women's singles title since Serena Williams in 2014.

Next she will face Canada's Leylah Fernandez, who was a beaten finalist in 2021 when she lost to Britain's Emma Raducanu.

Last year's US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula cruised into the third round in New York with a comfortable victory over Anna Blinkova.

The American fourth seed breezed past world number 80 Blinkova 6-1 6-3 in just 65 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Pegula, 31, was beaten by world number one Aryna Sabalenka in last year's showpiece at Flushing Meadows.

Prior to that run Pegula had not gone past the quarter-final stage at any of the four Grand Slams in singles.

She has struggled for consistency since then, going out before the last eight in all three majors this year - including a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon.

Pegula also went out early on the hard courts of Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati as part of her build-up to the US Open.

Pegula hit 30 winners as she dismantled her opponent's serve but will see room for improvement behind her own, winning 64% of her first serve points and 53% on her second.

A clinical three breaks of serve secured the opening set before a trickier second followed. There were breaks of serve on both sides before Pegula pulled away to victory.

Pegula will face veteran and three-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka next after the Belarusian overcame Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-3.

Ninth seed Elena Rybakina survived a scare against Czech qualifier Tereza Valentova to come through 6-3 7-6 (9-7) and set up a meeting with British number one Emma Raducanu.

Earlier, 10th seed Emma Navarro cruised past Caty McNally 6-2 6-1 in an all-American tie and will face former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the next round after the Czech beat Japan's Moyuka Uchijima 6-4 6-2.