Pegula advances with comfortable win over Blinkova

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website & app

Last year's US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula cruised into the third round in New York with a comfortable victory over Anna Blinkova.

The American fourth seed breezed past world number 80 Blinkova 6-1 6-3 in just 65 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Pegula, 31, was beaten by world number one Aryna Sabalenka in last year's showpiece at Flushing Meadows.

Prior to that run Pegula had not gone past the quarter-final stage at any of the four Grand Slams in singles.

She has struggled for consistency since then, going out before the last eight in all three majors this year - including a shock first-round exit at Wimbledon.

Pegula also went out early on the hard courts of Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati as part of her build-up to the US Open.

Pegula hit 30 winners as she dismantled her opponent's serve but will see room for improvement behind her own, winning 64% of her first serve points and 53% on her second.

A clinical three breaks of serve secured the opening set before a trickier second followed. There were breaks of serve on both sides before Pegula pulled away to victory.

Pegula will face veteran and three-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka next after the Belarusian overcame Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-3.

Earlier, 10th seed Emma Navarro cruised past Caty McNally 6-2 6-1 in an all-American tie.

Defending champion Sabalenka takes on world number 67 Polina Kudermetova in Wednesday's night session on Arthur Ashe.