Elina Svitolina finishes Masarova in straight sets at the US Open

Elina Svitolina swung well during her second-round match against Rebeka Masarova at the US Open.

Elina Svitolina showed that consistency was key for a quick win at the US Open Wednesday. The fifth seed handled a short rain delay, and Rebeka Masarova, who fell under pressure in a 6-2, 7-5 score on court 17 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The Ukrainian won 91 percent of first-serve points and 21 winners down to coast to another win in New York. 

The world number five faced the world number 231 for the first time yet carried an advantage over the Spaniard, who went deep in her match against Anna Bogdan to win. The Ukrainian didn’t exert herself much on one day’s rest in her win over Rebecca Marino Monday. With that standing out well against her next opponent, Masarova needed plenty in the tank if she wanted to be as competitive as she was in the first round. 

Both players breezed through the first four games of the set until the Ukrainian made her push for control. A key break for Svitolina in the fifth chipped away at Masarova, who quickly fell two games by the end of the sixth. The fifth seed was in cruise control on serve quickly getting the seventh done and dusted to lead 5-2. Serving for the set didn’t prove easy as some returns across to Masarova fell wide to eventually bring up deuce. She didn’t let it bother her as her third set point attempt saw her find the open court with the Spaniard moving away, closing the set with a winner in 26 minutes. 

Masarova opened the second set with an important hold that she would build upon against Svitolina. While the Ukrainian had a better output from her offense, Masarova used every skill she had to win service games and maintain a tight set going forward. Eight games were played, with Svitolina winning three shutouts, but the break chance continued to elude her. She had a chance in the ninth on the first break of deuce, but despite producing another, the Spaniard closed her down to take a 5-4 lead. The pressure was on the world number five to hold her end or face another set. 

Svitolina made it five in a row from her end of the court to keep Masarova in her sights and wait for a mistake. She got them in the 11^th with two breakpoints for the win when suddenly the rain fell on the court that suspended play. The two returned to action after 28 minutes, with Svitolina playing for the break. A double fault was how the match resumed for Masarova, who made it her first, opening the door for the Ukrainian to end the match on her terms. 

Svitolina put the pressure on pushing the Spaniard back from any good return position. She scored an ace for 30-0 and fired a long crosscourt for an error. Despite the small hiccup, Masarova gave the 26-year-old two match points, which she handled on a crosscourt to her opponent’s left-hand side to cap the day in 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

With a good handle of her game, and finishing before the heavy rain fell, Svitolina set herself for Friday facing either Olympic silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova or Daria Kasatkina.