WHAT HAPPENED: Making her first appearance at the US Open since giving birth to her son, Leo, in 2016, two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka celebrated her return to New York with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over 56th-ranked Slovak Viktoria Kuzmova.
“The first rounds are never easy, especially when you play someone you’ve never played before,” said Azarenka. “She didn’t give me many opportunities on the return, but I stayed tough, I stayed smart. I’m in the second round of the US Open.”
Though it will go down as an upset on paper, Azarenka, a wildcard entrant ranked No. 79, was the presumptive favorite coming in -- a two-time Slam champ (2012 and 2013 Australian Open) who occupied No. 1 for some 51 weeks. Had it not been for her pregnancy and a prolonged custody battle, the 29-year-old Belarusian would likely still be at the top of the game. On Monday, she flashed the form of a player intent on getting back there in a hurry.
With her son’s name and a heart symbol scrawled on her Nikes, Azarenka sprinted through the first set in 37 minutes, a break for 5-3 the difference. But Kuzmova, who posted third-round showings this year at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, made Azarenka work for it in the second set. They remained on serve through the first 10 games before Azarenka converted her second break point of the match. A game later, she was into the second round.
Kuzmova’s high-risk/high-reward tennis resulted in 32 winners and 28 unforced errors, while Azarenka landed 48 of 65 first serves (74 percent), including eight aces. Though Azarenka is into just her 11th tournament of 2018, she has logged ample time on the hard courts, upon which she is now 11-5 on the year.
WHAT IT MEANS: Up next for Azarenka is Moscow-born Aussie Daria Gavrilova. The 25th seed advanced via a 6-0, 6-0 dismantling of Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.
MATCH POINT: The 2005 US Open junior champion, Azarenka is bidding to become only the second player after American Lindsay Davenport (1992, 1998) to win both the girls’ and women’s singles titles at the US Open.
