Australian Daria Saville is set to face world No.1 Iga Swiatek after recording her first US Open singles victory in five years.
New York, USA, 28 August 2023 | Leigh Rogers
Daria Saville has made a promising start to her US Open 2023 campaign, powering past 17-year-old American wildcard Clervie Ngounoue in the opening round.
Saville needed only 73 minutes to complete a 6-0 6-2 victory against the reigning Wimbledon girls’ singles champion.
This is 29-year-old Saville’s first Grand Slam singles win since reaching the third round at Roland Garros in 2022 and her first triumph in New York since 2018.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek now awaits in the second round. The defending champion was equally ruthless in her opening round, conceding only a single game against world No.86 Rebecca Peterson of Sweden.
Saville lost her only previous meeting against the 22-year-old from Poland, in Adelaide last year. However, has recorded six wins against top-five opponents in her career.
The resurgent Saville will look to improve that record, as she continues her comeback from knee surgery.
After a nine-month absence, the former world No.20 returned to the tour in June. The US Open is only her seventh tournament – and third on hard courts – in her return.
Although Saville’s ranking has dipped to world No.322, she has now won seven of her past 10 matches.
Storm Hunter was unable to score a top-10 victory of her own at Flushing Meadows, bowing out in the opening round against Czech Karolina Muchova.
Aussies in action – US Open
RESULTS
Women’s singles, first round
Daria Saville (AUS) d [WC] Clervie Ngounoue (USA) 6-0 6-2
[10] Karolina Muchova (CZE) d [WC] Storm Hunter (AUS) 6-4 6-0
COMING UP
Women’s singles, first round
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v Panna Udvardy (HUN)
[Q] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) v Mirra Andreeva
[LL] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Women’s singles, second round
Daria Saville (AUS) v [1] Iga Swiatek (USA)
Men’s singles, first round
[13] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v [Q] Timofey Skatov (KAZ)
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v [Q] Dominic Stricker (SUI)
Max Purcell (AUS) v Chris O’Connell (AUS)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)
Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [12] Alexander Zverev (GER)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v [Q] Hsu Yu-Hsiou (TPE)
Jason Kubler (AUS) v Matteo Arnaldi (ITA)
[WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Pavel Kotov
[LL] James Duckworth (AUS) v [Q] Felipe Meligeni Alves (BRA)
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