Daria Kasatkina qualifies for US Open 2nd round

Russias Daria Kasatkina has booked her place in the second round of the US Open with a hard-fought victory against Hungarys Timea Babos.

The 21-year-old 11th seed bested the unseeded veteran 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, in a game that lasted over two hours in the searing New York heat on Tuesday.

Temperatures soared close to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) with humidity at over 50 percent, as several male competitors retired due to heat exhaustion, reports Efe news.

Kasatkina, who has one Women's Tennis Association (WTA) title to her name and who reached the fourth round in New York last year, is hoping to capitalize on a wide open women's draw at Flushing Meadows after world number one Simona Halep's shock first round exit.

The Russian faces Belarus' Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round.

--IANS

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