Konjuh, Karlovic reach second round of US Open qualifying

Wednesday’s winners at the US Open qualifying event also included Emma Raducanu, Victoria Duval, Holger Rune, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ernests Gulbis

Ana Konjuh advanced to the semi-finals in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tournament Credit: ZM / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

August 26, 2021

Top seed Ana Konjuh and fourth seed Mayer Sherif were among the notable winners on Day 2 of the US Open qualifying event on the women’s side on Wednesday.

Ranked No 87 in the world, Konjuh, a quarter-finalist at the 2016 US Open, defeated Romania’s Irina Fetecau 7-6(2), 6-3. The Croatian will be hoping to compete in the main draw at Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2017.

Sherif, who became the first Egyptian to crack the Top 100 of the WTA singles rankings just a few weeks ago, scored a 6-4, 6-3 win over 15-year-old American wildcard Clervie Ngounoue.

Also moving into the second round were fifth seed Oceane Dodin, who defeated Italy’s Jessica Pieri 6-1, 6-3; eighth seed Kristina Kucova, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Chile’s Daniela Seguel; ninth seed Maryna Zanevska, who defeated Asia Muhammad 6-4, 6-3; No.11 seed Kristyna Pliskova, who defeated Russia’s Valeria Savinykh, 6-2, 6-1, and18th seed Stefanie Voegele, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over American Whitney Osuigwe.

British teenager Emma Raducanu also advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Dutchwoman Bibiane Schoofs. The 31st seed in qualifying reached the fourth round at Wimbledon as a wild card entrant and will be aiming to compete in just her second Grand Slam main draw.

Tennis Majors

Victoria Duval, who stunned former champion Sam Stosur to reach the second round of the 2013 US Open but was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2014, also advanced with a 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 win over Aliona Bolsova Zadionov. Duval is now ranked 457th in the world.

16 players will advance to the main draw from the qualifying event which means players need to win three rounds to secure a spot in the main draw. With the withdrawals of former champions Serena Williams and Venus Williams, and former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin, three lucky loser spots are also up for grabs between the women who fall in the final round of qualifying.

Ivo Karlovic reaches the second round of US Open qualifying

On the men’s side, Croatian Ivo Karlovic scored a 6-4, 7-6 win over Serbia’s Nikola Milojevic to advance to the second round of qualifying. 42-year-old Karlovic, a former world No 14, will next meet Bolivian 17th seed Hugo Dellien, who defeated Alessandro Giannessi 6-1, 6-3.

Top seed Bejmain Bonzi advanced with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Daniel Masur. but third seed Daniel Elahi Galan was upset 6-3, 6-2 by American Christopher Eubanks.

Holger Rune, who is playing in the qualifying draw of a Grand Slam for the first time, scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over Lukas Lacko.