Bolkvadze edges Andreeva 6-4 7-6 in US Open qualifying

Mariam Bolkvadze came through a tense straight-sets test at US Open qualifying, beating Erika Andreeva 6-4 7-6 to reach the last round of the draw. The match turned on first-serve quality: Bolkvadze landed 66.2 percent of her first deliveries and won 79.6 percent of those points, well clear of Andreeva's 61.5 percent behind a first serve that found the box only 60.5 percent of the time. The Georgian's second ball was a liability, yielding just 32 percent of points and 13 double faults against Andreeva's five, yet she survived. The tie-break sealed a hard-earned step toward the main draw.