World No.1 Swiatek shows qualifier no mercy in New York

Iga Swiatek has shown no mercy to Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in a 6-0 6-1 victory in the second round to underline her title credentials at the US Open.

Swiatek survived a slight scare in the first round when she committed a slew of unforced errors before sealing a hard-fought victory over Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, but against Shibahara, she was clinical and swatted her Japanese opponent aside in just over an hour.

"I'm trying to be really solid and picking the right shots and being proactive. I'm happy with everything," Swiatek said in her on-court interview.

"I just felt the rhythm much better. I was a bit tense in my last match, so today I just wanted to focus on the right things and focus on myself."

The Pole served with real accuracy in Thursday's first set, winning 89 per cent of points on her first serve and converting three out of four break point opportunities to race into the lead against a frustrated Shibahara, who had no answers.

Grand slam main draw debutant Shibahara, who left Daria Saville distraught after beating the Australian in the first round, defended three break points in a marathon service game to hold for 1-1 and avoid the dreaded 'double bagel'.

That was the extent of her resistance as Swiatek won the next five games in a row to clinch victory.

Swiatek said she had tried to block out the scoreline and focus on playing at her best level throughout the match.

Swiatek, who won the third of her five Grand Slams at Flushing Meadows in 2002, is next in action against No.25 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy 5-7 6-1 6-2.

Czech Karolina Muchova delivered a flawless display of serve-and-volley tennis to knock two-time champion Naomi Osaka out with a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) second-round victory.

Muchova enjoyed the best season of her career last year before a wrist injury sidelined her for 10 months, but she looked back to her best at Arthur Ashe Stadium as she set up a third-round encounter with unseeded Russian Anastasia Potapova.

Four-times major winner Osaka of Japan, who missed last year's tournament while on a maternity break, was brilliant in her opening round win over 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko but a handful of costly mistakes sunk her chances against Muchova.

The Czech said: "Look around, this is unbelievable, the atmosphere and the people, it is crazy energy and I love it.

"I am really happy with how I performed today.

"This year the biggest win for me is that I can play again, I am really grateful, this is just the cherry on top to be here."

No.21 seed Mirra Andreeva was sent packing by American Ashlyn Krueger, who won their match 6-1 6-4, while Jasmine Paolini played just three points before advancing when Karolina Pliskova appeared to injure her left foot.

The No.5-seeded Paolini, who reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon in her breakout season, advanced past the second round of the US Open for the first time.

Paolini will next play No.30 seed Yulia Putintseva, who beat China's Xinyu Wang 6-1 7-6 (7-4).

Other women's winners included No.6 Jessica Pegula, No.15 Anna Kalinskaya, No.16 Liudmilla Samsonova and No.18 Diana Shnaider and No.22 Beatriz Haddad Maia. Pegula took out fellow American and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.

But No.4 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, withdrew from the tournament before her second-round match, sending French qualifier Jessika Ponchet to the weekend.