Author: Dana Mark

The defending champion, Kim Clijsters, continues her quest for a 3rd U.S. Open title after defeating Sally Peers 6-2, 6-1 in round 2 of the 2010 U.S. Open.

Clijsters of Belgium made 15 unforced errors in the first set before steadying herself to take the win over the No. 201 ranked Peers of Australia in 56 minutes. The 19-year-old Peers had to come through qualifying to gain entry to her first Grand Slam tournament.

Maria Sharapova made quick work of her 2nd round match against Iveta Benesova, winning easily 6-1, 6-2.

Sharapova, the 14th seed, didn’t face a single break point in her demolition of 68th ranked Benesova of the Czech Republic. Benesova contributed 26 unforced errors to add to her own demise. Sharapova broke down Benesova’s defense with 16 winners, including three aces.

This sets up a 3rd round meeting between Sharapova and the young 18-year-old American, Beatrice Capra, ranked 371 in the world, who upset 18th seed Aravane Rezai 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 earlier today.

Perhaps a new American sensation is spreading her wings as Beatrice Capra upset No. 18 seed Aravane Rezai in the 2010 U.S. Open tournament today.

Playing in her Grand Slam debut as a wild-card entry, Capra is the youngest player left in the women’s field and the lowest-ranked, at 371. It took three sets, but the young American from Ellicott City, Md. pulled it out 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

This is the first tour-level, main-draw event of Capra’s career. She knocked off 95th-ranked Karolina Sprem in the opening round 6-1, 6-3. Capra could face Maria Sharapova next.

No. 1 seed, Caroline Wozniacki, served up a double bagel to Kai-Lung Chang in U.S. Open action today.

Wozniacki has lost only two games through the first two rounds. So far she has proven she deserves the No. 1 seeding.

Wozniacki is considered by many to be the favorite in the women’s draw this year, having lost in the final in last year’s U.S. Open. And the world No. 2 certainly showed few holes in her game against Chang, clinching a one-sided 6-0 6-0 victory.

Unseeded Ana Ivanovic pulled an upset over No. 21 seed, Zheng Jie, in round 2 of the 2010 U.S. Open.

The former world No 1 from Serbia, who has dropped to 40th in the past year due to injuries and a loss of confidence, produced one of her recent best performances to crush Jie of China 6-3, 6-0 for a place in the last 32.

“I remember a couple years ago when I was here and I was saying, even though I’m No 1 I don’t feel I’m playing as No 1,” Ivanovic said. “But now I feel like I’m playing like a top-10 player, I have confidence that I can beat these players. That’s huge for me.”

Victoria Azarenka collapsed on Wednesday during her 2nd round match at the 2010 U.S. Open.

Azarenka collapsed and fell to the ground while chasing down a ball on the baseline and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair, withdrawing from the sweltering U.S. Open with what tournament officials said were “headache-like” symptoms.

The 10th-seed from Belarus was trailing Gisela Dulko 5-1, 31 minutes into her match on another steamy day at Flushing Meadows, when she crumpled to the ground. She was taken to the hospital for tests.

The No. 1 seed, Caroline Wozniacki, cruised to an easy win over Chelsey Gullickson, 6-1, 6-1 in her first round match at the 2010 U.S. Open Tuesday.

Wozniacki of Denmark is currently ranked No. 2, but was given the No. 1 seeding when World No. 1, Serena Williams, withdrew because an ongoing foot injury.

No. 14 seed, Maria Sharapova, survived a 3-set scare in her match against No. 60 ranked, Jarmila Groth, while 4th seed, Jelena Jankovic was given a huge scare by 18-year-old Romanian Simona Halep.

Sharapova overcame a deficit and a big-hitting opponent to avoid a significant upset in the first round of the U.S. Open.

Sharapova, the 2006 champion at Flushing Meadows, played solidly and often safely while putting together a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over 60th-ranked Jarmila Groth of Australia on Tuesday.

Kateryna Bondarenko from Ukaraine pulled a huge upset in round one of the U.S. Open, defeating No. 8 seed, Na Li of China.

Li admitted she wilted in the stifling heat with temperatures peaking at around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. “From the middle of the second set I was feeling the energy was going down,” Li told Reuters. “I talked to myself to stay positive on the court but it didn’t work.”

Li looked on course for a straightforward win when she broke serve twice to win the first set. But Bondarenko, who has slipped down the rankings after a three-month absence with knee trouble, leveled the match and, as Li faded, roared through the decider to reach round two.

No. 24 seed, Daniela Hantuchova downed former World No. 1 Dinara Safina in the first round of the 2010 U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.

Safina was the top seed here last year, but was eliminated in the 3rd round. She has been plagued by a back injury which has forced her to miss almost three months of the 2010 season, including Wimbledon. She reached the World No. 1 ranking in April of 2009, but her ranking has now dropped to 50th in the world in just over a year. She has yet to win a Grand Slam tournament.