Katie O'Brien edges closer to US Open

US Open, Flushing Meadows
Dates: 30 August - 12 September Start time: 1600 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles; updates on BBC Radio 5 live; live on Sky Sports

O'Brien will face Japan's Misaki Doi in the second round

British number two Katie O'Brien reached the second round of US Open qualifying with a 6-4 3-6 6-2 win over Ukrainian Lesya Tsurenko.

O'Brien, 24, produced a mixed performance against Tsurenko which included nine double faults but the world number 129 finished strongly.

After taking the first set, O'Brien was pinned back before cruising through the deciding set in 37 minutes.

The Briton will face Japan's Misaki Doi in the next round.

O'Brien would have to make it through the second and third qualifying rounds before being entered in the main draw for the US Open, which starts on 30 August.

Other Brits aiming to make it through qualifying are defending US Open junior champion Heather Watson, former junior semi-finalist Laura Robson and Naomi Cavaday on the women's side, with Alex Bogdanovic and Jamie Baker in the men's draw.

British number ones Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha and number three Anne Keothavong have direct entry into the main draw at Flushing Meadows.

Keothavong began her preparations with a 7-5 6-3 victory over France's Pauline Parmentier in the ITF event in New York on Tuesday, but Baltacha went down 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-4 to Sybille Bammer of Austria.