Semeņistaja snaps seven-match losing streak with US Open qualifying win

Latvia's second-ranked tennis player, Darja Semeņistaja, has made a successful start in her bid to reach the main draw of the season's final Grand Slam tournament, the US Open, after winning her first qualifying round match against Japan's Haju Kinoshita.

Match details

Semeņistaja, ranked 109th in the world and seeded fourth in the qualifying draw, defeated her opponent, world number 223 Kinoshita, by a score of 6-2, 7-5. The match lasted approximately one and a half hours.

In the first set, the Latvian broke her opponent's serve twice, building a 4-1 lead, and closed out the set in the eighth game on her fourth set point. The second set proved more difficult — Semeņistaja fell behind 3-5 before rallying to win four consecutive games. During her comeback she broke serve twice more, sealing the match on her third match point.

Significance and next opponent

The victory is particularly notable as it ends a run of seven consecutive losses for Semeņistaja. For reaching the second round of qualifying, she earned 20 WTA ranking points.

In the next round, the Latvian will face Russia's Aleksandra Shubladze, ranked 190th in the WTA standings. This year's US Open is being played on hard courts.