Preston downs Parks 6-3 6-3 in US Open first round

Taylah Preston needed only two sets to see off Alycia Parks 6-3 6-3 in the US Open first round, controlling a match that never slipped away from the Australian. The difference lay in reliability rather than firepower: Parks struck seven aces to Preston's two, but landed just 46.0 percent of her first serves and won only 29.6 percent of the points behind her second. Preston, by contrast, put 67.2 percent of first serves in play and won 74.4 percent of those points, absorbing her own six double faults. It was a composed, statement win on the sport's biggest hard-court stage.