Tennis-Pliskova rolls into U.S. Open second round in bid for maiden major

Aug 31, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic hits to Catherine McNally of the United States on day two of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - World number four Karolina Pliskova fired off eight aces to defeat American wild card Caty McNally 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday as she bids for an elusive maiden major.

Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up, built up a 5-1 lead in the first set before her 19-year-old opponent settled her nerves, and hit 10 winners in the set compared to two from McNally, before breaking the American's serve twice early in the second.