29 August,2017 08:33 AM IST | New York | Agencies
Third seed stakes claim for USâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Open title with 6-0, 6-3 win over Lepchenko
Spain's Gabrine Muguruza returns to American Varvara Lepchenko during the second round of the US Open yesterday. Pic/AFP
Reigning Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza was excited to reach the second round of the US Open yesterday. Spanish third seed Muguruza matched her best showing on the New York hard courts in five tries by defeating American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 6-3 for her first triumph in Arthur Ashe Stadium, which celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Garbine pleased
"Very happy that I'm in the second round," said Muguruza. "I've been here so many times and I've never done very well. I will try again and hopefully it will happen."
The Spaniard improved to 17-2 since the start of her London Grand Slam title run, a stretch that also included a crown at Cincinnati in the last major US Open tune-up.
Muguruza, who won last year's French Open and reached this year's Australian Open quarter-finals, can reach the third round for the first time tomorrow by defeating either US qualifier Claire Liu or China's Duan Ying-Ying.
Watson bows out
Meanwhile, Britain's Heather Watson failed to end her miserable run of results as she lost 4-6, 4-6 to France's Alize Cornet.
