Kicking off the night session under the roof and under the lights inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The USA’s 15th seed Madison Keys saved a set point in the second set, defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens, 6-3, 7-6(6) booking her place in round two.
Keys has reached the fourth round in her last two visits to Flushing Meadows, losing to compatriot Serena Williams and to Caroline Wozniacki. The American has had her fair share of injuries as she has had surgery on both of her wrists. Nevertheless, Keys is the second ranked American in the draw behind two-time champion Venus Williams.
Keys and Mertens both had former champions in their respective coaching boxes. The American had 1998 champion Lindsay Davenport in her camp whilst Mertens had compatriot and three-time champion Kim Clijsters in her box.
Understandably, the 2015 Australian Open semi-finalist was nervy as she is playing at her home Grand Slam and in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Keys’ footwork was poor in the early goings, as she immediately found herself facing two break points at 15-40. The 15th seed found her first serve and staved off trouble taking a 1-0 lead.
Mertens is ranked at a career-high ranking of 39, therefore, she was not too far from a seeding position. However, she was made to pay for not breaking Keys as she lost her serve, and Keys gained the initiative leading 2-0.
The Belgian eventually settled in this intriguing first round clash as she broke the former world number seven’s serve, and she restored parity with a hold to love at 2-2.
Both players continued to hold onto their serves in the first set with crushing forehands but both players struggled to serve consistently at times. However, the 15th seed gained a crucial break in the eighth game as she broke Mertens’ serve.
There was no mistake for the 15th seed as she closed out the opening set with a hold to love, producing an ace out wide, clinching the first set in 35 minutes, 6-3.
Keys saves a set point and clinches victory in straight sets
The former world number seven had the chance to break Mertens’ serve in the opening game of the second set as she was threatening the 21-year-old’s serve at 15-30. Once again, there were more errors spewing from the American’s racquet, which allowed the Belgian to lead 1-0.
The American got onto the scoreboard in the second game of the match, and she let out a big “come on” after she produced a stunning half volley winner.
The 15th seed’s performance was up and down as her backhand continued to break down. She staved off a break point, and she clinched the game with a stunning backhand down the line, keeping the second set, honors evens at 2-2.
Keys had the chance to gain the first break of the second set as she took a commanding 15-40 lead on the Belgian’s serve but the top 40 player received a helping hand from Keys, who committed more errors on the forehand side.
Both players continued to hold onto their service games in the second set with relative ease. The two players in their early twenties, served out back-to-back holds to love with the second match evenly poised at 5-5.
However, once again, the former Grand Slam semi-finalist upped the anty as she continued to smack the ball hard, and she broke Mertens’ serve with a smash volley winner at the net, to serve for the match at 6-5.
It was not meant to be for Keys to serve out for the match as she played a disastrous game by committing a double fault, and another backhand unforced error, which Mertens broke with a half volley smash winner to send the second set into a tiebreak.Both players held onto their serves in the early goings of the tiebreak but Keys took the initiative by gaining the first mini break. However, it was not plain sailing for the American as she led 4-2 but Mertens reeled off three points in succession as the 15th seed continued to commit unforced errors.The more experienced of the two players, was two points away from losing the second set but a gutsy forehand winner catching the edge of the line, wiped out Mertens’ mini break, restoring parity at 5-5. A set point came for the unseeded Belgian as Keys put a tame backhand into the net.
The Belgian was unable to convert the set point by virtue of a huge forehand winner down the line from Keys. The Belgian’s race was run as Keys converted her first match point with a good first serve out wide.
Keys booked her place in the second round in just one hour and 29 minutes. The former world number seven, who’s under the tutelage of 1998 winner Lindsay Davenport, will face Tatjana Maria or compatriot Ashley Kratzer in round two, whose match was called off due to rain.
The 15th seed was pleased to get the match done in straight sets, she told the press in her press conference. “Yeah, I’m really happy that I got it done in straight sets. I guess I had time to add a bit of drama to the match, but glad I didn’t add too much.”
