Australia’s Daria Saville, Rinky Hijikata move into US Open second round

Daria Saville has made a flying start to the US Open to set up a second-round showdown with world No.1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek.

The former top-20 star looked anything but a player on the comeback trail from a serious knee injury as she routed American teenager Clervie Ngounoue 6-0 6-2 in little more than an hour.

Rinky Hijikata also progressed in vastly different fashion on a promising opening day for the Australian contingent in New York.

Hijikata vindicated his wildcard entry with a 7-5 5-7 6-3 7-5 victory over Russian Pavel Kotov in a sapping contest stretching a minute shy of four hours.

The hard-earned victory was the 22-year-old’s first at a grand slam outside of Australia.

Saville broke 17-year-old Ngounoue seven…