Serena advances to second round at US Open

NEW YORK: Top-ranked Serena Williams launched her quest to win the US Open and complete a calendar Grand Slam by beating 86th-ranked Russian Vitalia Diatchenko for her 29th consecutive Slam match triumph.

The three-time defending champion won 6-0, 2-0 when Diatchenko retired after just 30 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a left foot injury.

Williams, 33, advanced to a second-round match against Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens, who eliminated Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, and would face an American in the third round, either 19th seed Madison Keys or Coco Vandeweghe. (AFP)