Elina Svitolina eased into the second week of the US Open with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Qiang Wang on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The Ukrainian, who has been known for mentally locking up at grand slams, began the match with authority as she used her agility to her advantage. The seventh seed broke in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead as her returning was proving too much for the Chinese player.
However the world number 52 was fresh off her win at the Asian games and had troubled Svitolina in the past with her tricky game style. Today’s encounter was no different as some good baseline points sealed a break back at 3-4 in the opening set. However the reason why Svitolina is a top 10 player is due to her calmness and consistency as she remained confident towards the opening set. A terrific last game from the world number seven sealed the second break as well as the opening set.
The second set saw a different approach from Wang as she constructed points much better and was rewarded with an early break. The Chinese player’s first serve was getting better as the match progressed with every game that went by. However the Ukrainian once again produced some of her top quality shots as she reeled off four games in a row to have the opportunity to serve for the match.
Despite handing the break back with a double fault, Svitolina produced a fantastic last game to break to love and seal her place in the second week of the US Open. Despite a tough European swing it seems the Ukrainian is producing some of her best tennis and is seeking to end the doubts over her ability to win a grand slam.
The seventh seed will now play Anastasija Sevastova on Sunday after the Latvian overcame Ekaterina Makarova 4-6 6-1 6-2. The 19th seed will be looking to progress to her third consecutive US Open quarter-final on Sunday when she takes on Svitolina.
