Lily Miyazaki beaten in second round at US Open

Lily Miyazaki’s US Open adventure was ended in the second round by Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.

The 27-year-old came through three matches to qualify at Flushing Meadows for the first time and then picked up a maiden grand slam win against Margarita Betova in round one.

But the world number 198 found 15th seed Bencic, of Switzerland, too tough a nut to crack as she bowed out 6-3 6-3.

Miyazaki still leaves New York with the consolation prize of having virtually doubled her earnings for the year with a £98,000 pay day for winning her first-round match.

All over for Miyazaki, 6-3 6-3 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/pZgGkWMHRz

— Andy Sims (@AndyCSims) August 30, 2023

A break early in the first set and two in the second set proved her undoing, although she did break the Bencic serve late on, prompting the 26-year-old to fling her racket to the ground.

But ultimately Bencic, a former semi-finalist, was too strong for the Tokyo-born debutant and broke again to seal the victory.

Miyazaki was one of seven British players to reach the second round, the most since 1977.

She said: “I think we all push each other on, and it’s great to see everyone doing well. I think it inspires everyone else.

“Unfortunately I’m the first one to lose. But yeah, it’s been great to be a part of that.

“I think I’ve learnt that if I put my level out there, then I have the game to disrupt other players’ games.

“Even today I felt like once I got into the points I was able to play my game and kind of control the points pretty well so I think I can take a lot of confidence from that.”

Miyazaki was supported once more by fellow Brit Jodie Burrage, who faces world number two Aryna Sabalenka in her second-round match on Thursday.

Burrage, who beat Anna Blinkova in