20th seed Coco Vandeweghe’s quest for a maiden Grand Slam singles title at the US Open continues. The native-New Yorker saved two set points in the opening set, en route to a 7-6(6), 6-2 victory over Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was the American’s first victory in the Arthur Ashe Stadium, and she will play 10th seed Agnieszka Radwanska for a place in the fourth round.
For the second time in three years, the women’s draw at the US Open will feature seven American women in the third round. Both players settled into this second round clash with comfortable service holds.
Vandeweghe is one of the favorites for the title in the women’s singles draw, and her serves and booming forehands were doing the trick against Jabeur. However, it was not easy for this year’s Australian Open semifinalist, who also reached her second Wimbledon quarterfinal in three years.
Jabeur held her own, and she utilized the drop shot to perfection, which Vandeweghe was unable to read. The duo continued to remain untroubled on their service games in the first set.
However, the 20th seeded American had a 6-5 lead, and Jabeur was serving to stay in the first set for the second time. The 23-year-old was under pressure as she quickly fell to 0-40 and had to fend off three set points.
The unseeded Tunisian had nerves of steel as she saved all three set points, and clinched the 12th game with a forehand winner down the line, to send the first set into a tiebreak.
Vandeweghe had a mini-break advantage in the tiebreak leading 2-0 but a wild backhand unforced error, coupled with an untimely double fault got the tiebreak evenly poised at 2-2 once more. Both players were feeling the pressure in the tie-break as whoever, won the first set, would have more confidence heading into the second set.
The top 100 player had two set points at 6-4 but the native New Yorker fended them off by producing a scintillating forehand winner down the line. Moreover, the American converted her third set point by virtue of a tame forehand unforced error in the net from Jabeur.
Vandeweghe breaks new ground in New York
The 20th seed got off to a dream start in the second set as she broke Jabeur’s serve immediately for the first time in the match. Vandeweghe wasted no time in consolidating the break with a hold to love.
Jabeur was a shadow of the player who performed well in the opening set, and errors continued to spew from her racquet. The American was looking for another break but the disguised drop shot came to the Tunisian’s favor as she got out of jail, and ensured the break was kept to one.
The Tunisian had her chance to break back in the second set but the Australian Open semifinalist, who is under the tutelage of former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, held her nerve and an ace down the T, followed by a sliced winner handed her a comfortable 3-1 lead.
The issue for Vandeweghe was that she was unable to get the double break that she was seeking for as she continued to commit unforced errors in the returning games.
Nevertheless, the 20th seed did not give up as she was looking for the insurance break, she required to aid her in serving for the match. The 25-year-old became the seventh American woman to book her place in the third round with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Jabeur in one hour and 33 minutes.
