(Reuters) - Second seed Agnieszka Radwanska ignored a niggling shoulder problem to breeze past Russian world number 91 Nina Bratchikova on Tuesday and book her place in the second round of the U.S. Open.
The Wimbledon runner-up, who withdrew from the warm-up event in New Haven because of pain in her right shoulder attributed to a long season, enjoyed a speedy 6-1 6-1 win over Bratchikova in humid conditions at Flushing Meadows. But the only sign of a shoulder problem on Tuesday was the strapping visible beneath her shirt and the 23-year-old Pole said it was something she was coping with.
"It's sometimes worse but it feels better right now," Radwanska told reporters after her 54-minute opening match at the year's final grand slam. "That's about it. It's always different when I'm playing matches or I'm just practicing and not pushing that much. Of course I had some rest before the U.S. Open. I'm really taking care of it right now. It's really better."
Radwanska, who has never advanced beyond the last 16 at Flushing Meadows, had just six unforced errors as she advanced to a meeting with either Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan or Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.
Having reached the final at Wimbledon where she lost to American Serena Williams in three sets, Radwanska admitted the expectations on her performance in New York had increased. But Radwanska said there is no reason why she cannot produce her best U.S. Open performance.
"I'm just trying not to really think about pressure," she said. "I'm just doing my best. I don't have many points to defend from last year - at least this is the good thing.
"I really have good results on hard courts, as well. If I can win Miami, why can't I play well here? I'm just going to try to play my best here and we'll see."
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