Boulter reaches second round after US Open 'battle'

British number 1 Katie Boulter recovered her hit to conflict backmost and triumph her US Open first-round lucifer against Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Boulter, who is seeded 31st, came done to triumph 5-7 6-2 6-1 successful New York connected Tuesday.

An edgy commencement saw nan 28-year-old Briton suffer service 3 times successful nan opening group earlier settling down to return control.

"It's not easy coming retired present to play your first information against personification who has been apical 30 - she knows really to play tennis," Boulter, who reached nan 3rd information past year, told Sky Sports.

"I knew it would beryllium a battle, she's played 3 matches connected these courts."

Fellow Britons Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Emma Raducanu are hoping to subordinate Boulter successful nan 2nd information erstwhile they play later.

British men's number 1 Draper, who is seeded 25th, takes connected China's Zhang Zhizhen arsenic nan post-Andy Murray era originates successful nan men's singles.

Former world number 1 Murray retired aft nan Olympic Games past month, erstwhile he played alongside Evans successful nan doubles.

Evans, 34, faces Russian Karen Khachanov arsenic he intends to find joyousness successful a difficult year, which has brought wins successful conscionable 4 singles matches connected nan ATP Tour.

Raducanu, 21, intends for her first triumph astatine nan US Open since lifting nan 2021 title erstwhile she plays American Sofia Kenin.

Boulter has leapt up nan rankings aft a beardown 18 months wherever she has stayed fresh and caused problems for opponents pinch her powerful game.

Now, she is aiming to break different ceiling by reaching nan 2nd week of a Grand Slam tourney for nan first time.

But coming into nan US Open, Boulter admitted she was not arsenic prepared arsenic she mightiness person been for nan difficult courts because of her information successful nan Paris Olympics which was played connected clay.

That acquisition meant she played conscionable 3 completed matches connected difficult courts earlier starting her run astatine Flushing Meadows.

In contrast, Sasnovich was lucifer crisp having travel done qualifying without dropping a set.

The quality showed successful an opening group wherever Boulter struggled to onshore first serves and paid nan value arsenic she was surgery 3 times, undoing nan bully activity she had done to doubly return Sasnovich's unorthodox serve.

The Belarusian's eye-catching motion, striking a airs for illustration a flamenco dancer pinch her serving limb aloft earlier tossing nan ball, looks awkward and lacked ferocity.

Boulter was capable to break again astatine nan first effort successful nan 2nd group which, successful conjunction pinch much solidity successful her work games, allowed nan Briton to rotation done nan 2nd set.

After redeeming a break constituent to clasp for 5-2, Boulter took her opponent's service again to group up a deciding set.

Boulter had to travel done a testing opening game, redeeming 4 break points to clasp and dampen Sasnovich's tone earlier confidently racing done nan last 5 games.

"I consciousness I came retired really good but she responded quickly successful nan first set," said Boulter.

"I tried to reset and play a amended 2nd and 3rd and I'm proud I managed to enactment successful location and bring a bully level to nan court."