Muguruza breezes through to the second round at the US Open

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Garbine Muguruza’s early start ended with a quick victory in the opening round of the US Open Monday. The world number three took care of her first time on Arthur Ashe and brought her best to defeat American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 6-3 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. Muguruza carried a 16-2 record since winning Wimbledon.

The world number three had a lot of momentum to bring together in a Grand Slam she hasn’t found much luck in. Last year she finished in the second round in what was a bad upset but with her pace and victory at Wimbledon, the match against her American adversary would be important. Lepchenko won their last meeting in a first setter that went far before the Spaniard bowed out of competition. With the last week being light practice but a hold of consistency, the 23-year-old hoped to bring together a more focused tournament in New York.

The match started with half the court in light and the other in the shade making it difficult for both players. The Spaniard started off with a strong serve followed by a show of defense against Lepchenko’s serve. It resulted in the first break of serve in the match and a 2-0 lead for the third seed. Muguruza was in cruise control after three making it difficult on the other end where Lepchenko struggled to keep together on the rallies. She found herself down heavily as the third seed earned a double break inching closer to the set.  

It was a clean runaway for Muguruza who made her service hold dominate the American gaining a big 5-0 run. She put Lepchenko on the edge after just 20 minutes of play that only saw one conclusion occur. Muguruza achieved two set points winning the set with a shutout as the ball flew behind the baseline ending 22 minutes. Despite getting just 57 percent of balls in play, the Spaniard was flawless on her first serve points and five of seven from the second serve.

The second set remained in the hands of Muguruza who increased her winning streak to seven games in her fourth consecutive service hold. It was shattered in the very next game where Lepchenko put together an impressive hold to get on the board. The victory was quickly overshadowed as the third seed answered with sheer ferocity gaining back the lead in the third. The set took a different pace as Lepchenko’s offense on serve began to pay off keeping herself on an even keel with Muguruza through four.

Muguruza stayed out front on the score trying to lower the confidence of Lepchenko to break out of the current pace. In the sixth, Lepchenko battled to get out front on the score but holding Muguruza proved far too difficult. The Spaniard forced deuce before overtaking for the break to win after the break. Lepchenko was down but not out as she fired off another victory over the world number three earning a key break in the seventh with a chance to level the score. Muguruza wouldn’t let it as she took advantage of the American’s small struggles to take a 5-3 hold serving for the match.

Frustrations showed in Lepchenko’s body language as she quickly saw her door to the tournament close with the third seed reaching three match points. It ended in a short rally that saw Lepchenko’s return fall into the net bringing a close to the one hour and three-minute match.

“I’m very happy to be in the second round,” she told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi. “I thinks she was a little bit nervous and I started very well making the match equal a little bit but the second round was a big fight.”

With a solid finish to her opening round, Muguruza would have Tuesday off before facing the winner between Claire Liu and Ying-Ying Duan in the second round.