Host Andy Taylor | The Voice of the US Open | US Open
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[22] Maria Sharapova -22- (RUS) def [10] Jelena Ostapenko -10- (LAT) | 63 62
Game-1 of Saturday’s night session predicted a thriller: 26-points. 9-deuces. 12.5-minutes. We were in for an extended, sweat-soaked battle.
No dice. Turns out, game-1 foreshadowed how difficult it would be for the 2017 French Open champion to protect her serve. Maria simply owned Ostapenko, allowing Jelena only two service games – including the opening marathon.
End of night stats tell the tale: 2006 US Open Champ Maria Sharapova earned 7 out of a whopping 18 break points. She gave-up 18 unforced errors – a paper-cut compared to Ostapenko’s 41.
NEXT: [22] Maria Sharapova -22- (RUS) vs. [30] Carla Suarez Navarro -24- (ESP)
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R3: def [10] Jelena Ostapenko -10- (LAT) 63 62 | Arthur Ashe Stadium
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R2: def Sorana Cirstea -51- (ROU) 62 75 | Arthur Ashe Stadium
[vector_icon icon=”fas-fa check”] R1: Patty Schnyder -183- (SUI) 62 76(6) | Louis Armstrong Stadium
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[22] Maria Sharapova -22- (RUS)
This 5-time Grand Slam Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist won her 2nd Major right here in Arthur Ashe Stadium. With two French Open titles, and victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, she is one of only five active players who own the Career Grand Slam. She’s a Fed Cup Champion, won the WTA Finals in her 2004 debut, and has spent 21-weeks as the sport’s top-ranked player. Between 2003 and 2015, she won at least one singles title every year for 13 consecutive years, and now owns 36 WTA Singles title overall. Competing in her 12th US Open, from Russia – Please welcome 2006 Champion…Maria Sharapova.
[10] Jelena Ostapenko -10- (LAT)
This 21-year-old Grand Slam Champion captured her first Major last year at Roland Garros; and with the victory, became the first unseeded player to win the French Open in 84-years. Earlier this year, she reached her 6th career Singles Final in Miami, cracked the WTA’s top-5, and played through to the Wimbledon Semifinals for the first time. She owns 2 WTA Singles titles, 3 Doubles titles, made her Olympic debut in Rio; and last November – after a break-through season – made her first appearance at the WTA Finals Singapore. Competing in her 4th US Open, from Latvia – Please welcome…Jelena Ostapenko.
