Canada's Bianca Andreescu reacts between points during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Aug. 31, 2021, in New York.Frank Franklin II/The Associated Press
Canada’s Bianca Andreescu had to pull out a third set to keep her perfect U.S. Open record.
Struggling with some physical issues, the 2019 champion went the distance Tuesday to bet Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 7-5, 4-6, 7-5
Andreescu, seeded sixth, has been plagued by injuries since beating Serena Williams to win her U.S. Open debut as a 19-year-old and they popped up again as she played the last women’s match of the first round.
After rallying to win the first set Tuesday, she needed treatment from a trainer in the second, looking upset as she hid her face in a towel at one point.
The Canadian appeared to be on the ropes when she was broken to fall behind 3-2 in the third set, but kept her composure to advance.
The Mississauga, Ont., native had 36 unforced errors in the two hour 48 minute match, but stuck around with seven aces.
Next up for Andreescu is American Lauren Davis.
Canada’s Denis Shapovalov cruised into the second round of men’s singles competition with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Argentina’s Federico Delbonis earlier Tuesday.
The seventh seed from Richmond Hill, Ont., fired 14 aces and won 90 per cent of first serve points.
Shapovalov did not face break point and broke Delbonis five times on 11 chances in a match that lasted one hour 48 minutes.
The Canadian outscored Delbonis 38-11 on winners and complemented his service game by claiming nine of 11 net points.
Shapovalov will face Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain in the second round.
Also, Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil needed five sets before ousting Italy’s Fabio Fognini with a come-from-behind victory.
The 28th-seeded Italian was up two sets before Pospisil found another gear and took the match 2-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in three hours 17 minutes.
Next up for the Canadian is Ilya Ivashka of Belarus.
– with files from The Associated Press