No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to the second round of the US Open 2024 with a straightforward 6-3, 6-3 victory over Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon. The runner-up from last season now boasts a perfect 7-0 record in US Open first-round matches.
After successfully defending her Australian Open title earlier this year, Sabalenka is targeting a historic achievement—becoming the first woman to win both hard-court Grand Slam titles in a single season since Angelique Kerber in 2016. Despite her win, Sabalenka admitted she didn’t feel she played her best tennis, describing Hon as a very tricky opponent.
“I think even though I didn’t play my best, I fought for every point and tried to use whatever shots were effective today. I’m pleased to have won in straight sets despite not feeling at my best on court, especially against a tricky player like her who played really aggressively. It wasn’t easy facing her in the first round,” Sabalenka shared with broadcasters after her match.
Sabalenka’s win marked her 24th hard-court victory of the year, putting her behind only Emma Navarro and top-seeded Iga Swiatek, who have 26 and 25 hard-court wins, respectively. In the second round, Sabalenka will face Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, who advanced after New Zealand’s Lulu Sun retired following a 6-3 loss in the first set.
Hon entered the match seeking her first tour-level main draw victory of the season and had qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw since the Australian Open in 2022. Although she looked competitive, she struggled against a confident Sabalenka, who had just won her 15th WTA Tour title at the Cincinnati Open the previous week.
Sabalenka dominated the first set without facing a break point and, after securing an early break in the second set, faced a brief challenge when Hon converted her first break point to make it 3-2. However, Sabalenka maintained her composure and won her sixth consecutive match by breaking Hon’s serve again, eventually leading 4-2. She held on to win, recording her 40th victory of the season and extending her winning streak to 12 consecutive sets.
With her last US Open appearance seeing her just one set away from the title, Sabalenka is now back in strong form, with six straight wins and 12 consecutive set victories, as she continues her quest for the US Open crown.
