NEW YORK: Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi, the 15th seed, made a confident start to her US Open girls’ singles campaign, seeing off 15-year-old American Emery Combs in the first round.The 17-year-old Indian got off to a quick start against the world No. 92, racing to a 4-0 lead, but Combs fought back to take the next two games. Maaya then reeled off seven successive games, taking a 5-0 lead in the second set when the American broke while the 15th seed was serving for the match.Maaya closed out 6-2, 6-2 win in 70 minutes.“I’m happy to get past the first round, which is always tough,” she said. “This is the first time I’m playing her, I didn’t know my opponent really well. I was a little nervous when I went in, but I think I’m happy that I got past all that and overall played a good match.”Maaya will play qualifier Arina Malygina of Russia in the second round.It was not the best day on the courts for Arnav Paparkar, who went down 4-6, 1-6 to 12th-seeded American Andrew Johnson in the boys’ singles first round.Paparkar, ranked No. 18 in the world, struggled with his serve, landing just 52 per cent of his first serves and hitting six double faults. He could convert just three of 10 break-point opportunities in the match, while the American made six of eight.“My biggest weapon was not working today, I’ve been struggling with it the last couple of weeks. I haven’t been able to work out what the problem is,” Paparkar said. “He has a great backhand, I knew that, so I was attacking his forehand, but without my best shot I couldn’t do much damage.”In the men’s doubles, Sriram Balaji and American Evan King went down fighting to 12th seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France and Hugo Nys of Monaco, losing 4-6, 5-7 in a second-round clash.
