- Katie Boulter is through to the second round of the US Open after Tuesday’s win
- The Brit stuttered early on in the tie before rallying with two dominant sets
- The 28-year-old managed to land only 46 per cent of her first deliveries
On a beautiful day in New York, Katie Boulter won ugly to reach the second round of the US Open.
The British No1 lost the opening set and had an unusually bad day on serve but eventually prevailed 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 against qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
The 28-year-old’s game is built around her serve so there are positives to take from the way she chiselled out the win despite landing only 46 per cent of her first deliveries.
After taking the first two games it appeared her effortless power would be far too much for Sasnovich but the Belarusian eked her way back into the match. Boulter likes time and room on her big forehand so Sasnovich got some joy by firing the ball flat and hard straight at her opponent.
World No 107 Sasnovich, who beat Boulter’s fellow Brit Heather Watson on her way through qualifying, is an awkward customer. Her serve involves an elongated pause – almost four seconds – at the top of the action and she plays with less spin than most. She also, bizarrely given the 30C heat, played in leggings and long sleeves.
Katie Boulter saw off the challenge of qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the US Open first round
World No 107 Sasnovich eked her way back into the first set after going 2-0 down early on
Boulter managed to clean up her game after the first set but the Belarusian still had chances
When Boulter connected with the first punch in a rally – either a serve or return – she was dominant. In the first set she won 82 per cent of points behind her first serve, that figure plummeting to 32 on the second.
Given she only landed 44 per cent of first serves, the math did not check out and Boulter was broken three times in a sloppy first set.
The British player tidied up her game thereafter but Sasnovich had plenty of chances. Break points saved by Boulter at 4-2 in the second set and the first game of the third felt like big moments.
Boulter served badly and played average but she won nonetheless and sometimes such victories are the most satisfying.
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