NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina powered into the third round of the U.S. Open with a 6-4 6-4 win against Russian Evgeniya Rodina on Thursday.
The 22-year-old, who had also reached the third round at Flushing Meadows in the previous two years, was barely troubled by her 89th-ranked opponent in a sun-kissed Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Svitolina lost focus in the second set at 5-2 when she allowed Rodina to pull a break back, but she held her following service game to wrap up the victory on the first match point with a backhand winner.
She next faces either American Shelby Rogers or Australian 25th seed Daria Gavrilova.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)
