Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka
Radwanska and sixth-seeded German Angelique Kerber were easy opening-round
winners Tuesday at the 2012 U.S. Open.
The second-seeded Radwanska routed Russian Nina Bratchikova 6-1, 6-1 in a mere
54 minutes at Ashe Stadium. The crafty Polish star converted on six-of-seven
break-point chances in advancing.
Radwanska reached her first-ever Grand Slam final last month at Wimbledon,
where she succumbed to American great Serena Williams. She will meet Spaniard
Carla Suarez Navarro in the round of 64, where Radwanska bowed out the last
three years in Flushing.
The left-handed Kerber won her sixth match in seven tries in New York with a
6-2, 6-0 pasting of Britain's Anne Keothavong. Kerber was a surprise
semifinalist here a year ago and leads the WTA in match wins this year
(54-16).
Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic reached the second round with a 6-3, 6-2
handling of Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. The 12th-seeded Serb is a former
French Open champion and two-time Grand Slam runner-up.
Twentieth-seeded Italian Roberta Vinci vaulted past Radwanska's younger sister
Urszula, 6-1, 6-1, on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Andrea Hlavackova drove out 24th-seeded fellow Czech Klara
Zakopalova 6-4, 6-4, while Japan's Ayumi Morita dismissed 26th-seeded Romanian
Monica Niculescu 6-3, 6-3, and Russian Elena Vesnina knocked out 32nd-seeded
Chinese Peng Shuai 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 on Day 2.
Also advancing at the final major of the year were Suarez Navarro, Russians
Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova, Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva, Swede
Sofia Arvidsson, Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino, and Serb Bojana
Jovanovski.
The Sports Network