Daria Saville will play Iga Swiatek in second round of US Open

Daria Saville blitzed a 17-year-old to notch a first US Open win in five years but has one hope for her second round clash.

Daria Saville takes down Clervie Ngounoue at the US Open. Picture: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP

Daria Saville says her biggest goal is “not to get double bagelled” after setting up a second-round US Open clash with world No.1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek.

On a good day for the Australians, Rinky Hijikata added a first US Open main-draw singles win to his resume and Ajla Tomljanovic capped her grand slam return from injury with a victory.

Saville, on the comeback trail after tearing her ACL last September, routed 17-year-old American Clervie Ngounoue 6-0 6-2 in little more than an hour to earn her second-round engagement.

Despite the ease of the win, Saville, playing the last grand slam of the year on an injury-protected ranking after being sidelined for more than eight months, said she would have to find a few more tricks against Swiatek on Thursday and had one main goal.

“Well, the biggest goal is not to get double bagelled,” she said.

“I am excited. Hopefully, we’ll get to play on the big court. When I was coming back from injuries that was like the goal – get to play on all the bigger courts at every slam and hopefully that will be ticked off.

Daria Saville is into the second round. Picture: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

“I think I can still make her life very uncomfortable. I will just play free and see what happens.

“Forehand is my weapon and, when it‘s working, this is when I am dangerous.

“Obviously, I have to move well to get to use my forehand but today I also served pretty well, hit my spots well. It is part of my game hunting forehands.”

Ominously for Saville, her opponent said it “doesn’t matter” who is on the other side of the net when it comes to her US Open quest.

“Well, honestly, I have to analyse her game because I think we may have played once before her injuries or surgery that she has. I‘m not sure what’s her story, you know,” she said.

“But it really doesn’t matter for me. I have my kind of image of tennis that I want to play and show, and I’m just going to try and focus on myself.

“Every match is really important. Doesn’t matter for me who’s gonna be on the other side or what court it’s gonna be. I just want to play my best game that’s possible any day.”

Ajla Tomljanovic on her way to victory. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Playing in her first match of 2023 after missing all three grand slams due to a knee injury, Tomljanovic needed three sets but outlasted Panna Udvardy 3-6 6-2 6-4 to advance to the second round where she will No.4 seed Elena Rybakina.

Tomljanovic said her rebuilt body felt every moment of the match and she was “blessed” to taste victory again.

“I have a lot of videos I took of myself rehabbing and talking to the camera because I wanted to have proof of what it felt like,” she said after her win.

“At this stage in my career, going through an injury like this, it’s very different. Even today, after losing the first set, I thought this crowd is awesome. I would not want to be anywhere else.

“Even if I didn’t come off with the win, I’ve been working for this. Just this two hours of pure adrenaline, joy, and problem solving and competing. I’m blessed in that sense.”

Hijikata, who took a set off Rafael Nadal at the US Open before losing their opening round clash, scored a hard-fought 7-5 5-7 6-3 7-5 opening-round win over world No.98 Pavel Kotov.

While Hijikata was victorious, fellow Australians Alexei Popyrin, Kim Birrell, Olivia Gadecki and Storm Hunter bowed out in the first round.

AUSTRALIAN RESULTS AT THE US OPEN

Men

Rinky Hijikata (NSW) d Pavel Kotov 7-5 5-7 6-3 7-5

Dominic Stricker (SUI) d Alexei Popyrin (NSW) 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3

Women

Daria Saville (Vic) d [WC] Clervie Ngounoue (USA) 6-0 6-2

Jennifer Brady (USA) d [LL] Kimberly Birrell (Qld) 6-3 7-6(4)

Mirra Andreeva d [Q] Olivia Gadecki (Qld) 1-6 6-3 6-3

Ajla Tomljanovic (Qld) d Panna Udvardy (HUN) 3-6 6-2 6-4

Karolina Muchova (CZE) d [WC] Storm Hunter (WA) 6-4 6-0