Japanese star Naomi Osaka booked her place in the third round of the 2021 U.S. Open after her opponent, Olga Danilovic, withdrew from their second-round encounter on Wednesday. The defending champion won by walkover after Danilovic pulled out due to "a non-covid related viral illness."
Osaka, who has won the U.S. Open twice (2018 and 2020), is attempting to win her fifth Grand Slam title in New York. The tournament's third seed will next play the victor of Wednesday's showdown between Leylah Fernandez and Kaia Kanepi for a spot in the round of 16.
Halep and Krejcikova barge into the third round
Three other major champions also advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open, with Simona Halep, Barbora Krejcikova, and Garbine Muguruza dismantling their respective opponents on Wednesday. Halep's quest for a maiden U.S. Open title remained right on track after a comprehensive 6-3, 6-1 win over Kristina Kucova.
It was a huge win for Halep, who is coming off a calf injury that forced her to miss this year's French Open and Wimbledon Championships. Halep has already exceeded her own expectations, given her previous struggles here in New York.
Halep hadn't secured a place past the second round since reaching the quarterfinal round here in 2016, with the 12th-seeded Romanian suffering consecutive first-round exits in 2017 and 2018.
Later in the rain-hit session, the reigning French Open champion Krejcikova displayed her title credentials with an impressive 6-3, 6-1 win over 119th-ranked American Christina McHale. It was a terrific performance by Krejcikova, who made her first main draw appearance in the women's singles event at the U.S. Open.
Krejcikova won her second-round encounter against McHale in unique circumstances as the venue was moved mid-match from Court 13 to Louis Armstrong Stadium due to the heavy rain. Krejcikova is playing some excellent tennis year. Apart from winning the Roland Garros singles title, she also captured the women's doubles titles alongside Katerina Siniakova at the French Open and the Tokyo Olympics.
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Muguruza advances, Gauff crashes out
Also reaching the third round on Wednesday was Garbine Muguruza. In the second round, the ninth-seeded Spaniard eased past Andrea Petkovic, 6-4, 6-2, to set up a mouth-watering clash with fellow Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka in the round of 32. Azarenka, a U.S. Open finalist last year, sealed her place in the third round with a 6-3, 7-6 (1) win over Jasmine Paolini.
One player who won't be winning a Grand Slam title this week is Coco Gauff. The American teenager crashed out of this year's U.S. Open after absorbing a 6-4, 6-2 defeat against 2017 champion Sloane Stephens in the second round.
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