Six-time champion Serena Williams progressed to the third round of the US Open with a 6-2 6-4 win over Russian Margarita Gasparyan in New York.
The American, 38, cruised through the opening set but found the world number 117 a tougher proposition in the second under the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof.
The pair broke each other twice before Williams secured a crucial third break in the 10th game to seal victory.
Williams now faces compatriot Sloane Stephens, the 2017 champion.
“She’s such a good player – she plays so smooth,” Williams said of Stephens. “She looks like she’s not taking on energy, then ‘blam’ – there’s five winners. It’s not easy.”
A handful of the 11 unforced errors Gasparyan made in the first set came in her opening service game when she was broken despite having led 40-0.
Williams then broke again with an excellent overhead to go 5-1 up; although she lost her serve to love in the next, the American bounced back in the following game to break for a third time and seal the set in 35 minutes. (BBC)