Second seed Sabalenka cruises past qualifier Hon in US Open first round

Sabalenka, who came up short in the final a year ago and reached the semis in 2021 and 2022, fired off 27 winners to set up a meeting with Italian Lucia Bronzetti in the second round.

"Even though I didn't play my best tennis I was fighting for every point," said Sabalenka, who arrived in New York in terrific form after winning in Cincinnati.

"She played really aggressive, great tennis today. It wasn't easy facing her in the first round."

With the New York crowd on her side, the twice Australian Open winner used her lethal forehand to break Australian Hon in the opening game and converted on another chance to close out the first set.

After trading breaks, Sabalenka converted an opportunity with a backhand winner in the sixth game of the second set.

Hon had upped her level across the board, producing only one unforced error in the second set, but could not match Sabalenka's firepower as she failed to convert on any of the five break-point chances she had in the seventh game.

Sabalenka, who took time off this season to address injury issues, closed out the affair with a pair of forehand winners, pumping her fist in subdued celebration.

"I took everything I could from that little pause," said Sabalenka. "Hopefully it's going to play well for me."