The Latest: 3rd seed Pliskova easily advances at US Open

The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):

1:25 p.m.

Third-seeded Karolina Pliskova has easily advanced at the U.S. Open, dispatching her second-round opponent in a little over an hour.

Unlike top seed Naomi Osaka and No. 2 Ash Barty, who have been pushed to three sets, Pliskova rolled over qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-4, and has yet to drop a set.

Pliskova, a finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2016, served extremely well, blasting nine aces and winning 90% of her first-serve points.

Hers was the first match of this year’s tournament played under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium because of a light rain that’s been falling all day.

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12:50 p.m.

No. 12 Borna Coric has pulled out the U.S. Open with a lower back strain, giving a second-round walkover to Grigor Dimitrov and adding to the growing list of men’s seeds gone from the tournament.

Coric’s departure means half of the top 12 men’s seeds are out, including No. 4 Dominic Thiem, No. 8 Stefanos Tsitsipas, No. 9 Karen Khachanov and No. 10 Roberto Bautista Agut, who were all upset Tuesday.

Dimitrov, a former top-10 player who has fallen to No. 78, advances to play the winner of the second-round match between Pablo Cuevas and Kamil Majchrzak

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12 p.m.

The ATP says it will look into Nick Kyrgios’ comment that the men’s tour is “corrupt” to determine whether it fits under its rules governing a “major player offense.”

Asked after his first-round win at the U.S. Open whether his recent fine of $113,000 for various rule violations at a tournament earlier this month affected him mentally as play at Flushing Meadows approached, Kyrgios replied: “Not at all. ATP’s pretty corrupt, anyway, so I’m not fussed about it at all.”

He was docked the money after insulting a chair umpire and leaving the court to smash two rackets during a second-round loss at the Western & Southern Open. At the time, the ATP said it would also consider additional fines or a suspension.

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11 a.m.

Rain at the U.S. Open is forcing the tournament’s first use this year of retractable roofs on the two main show courts, keeping play on schedule for matches featuring Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams.

First up on Louis Armstrong Stadium will be seventh-seeded Kei Nishikori against American Bradley Klahn. That will be followed on Arthur Ashe Stadium by No. 3 seed Karolina Pliskova against Mariam Bolkvadze, and then a midafternoon match of third-seeded Federer against Damir Dzumhur.

No. 1 seed Djokovic kicks off the night session on Ashe against Juan Ignacio Londero, and then Williams ends the night with her match against 17-year-old American Caty McNally.

As for matches on uncovered courts, they are currently under a rain delay with about a 40 percent chance of more precipitation throughout the day.

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10 a.m.

Serena Williams’ matchup against 17-year-old American Caty McNally heads a lineup of second-round contests that similarly pit established champions against hungry upstarts.

The eighth-seeded Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champ, will be heavily favored in the nightcap in Arthur Ashe Stadium against McNally, who is ranked No. 121 and got her first victory in a Grand Slam event after receiving a wild card to play singles and doubles with fellow teenage star Coco Gauff.

Defending men’s champ and top seed Novak Djokovic is in the leadoff night match in Ashe, taking on 56th-ranked Juan Ignacio Londero after third-seeded Roger Federer plays 99th-ranked Damir Dzumhur.

Other key matches on Wednesday include Venus Williams against No. 5 Elina Svitolina, and No. 2 Ash Barty taking on 73rd-ranked American Lauren Davis.

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More AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



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