Pegula, Shelton advance as rain disrupts US Open schedule

American Jessica Pegula crushed compatriot Sofia Kenin and Ben Shelton overcame Hubert Hurkacz on another rain-swept day moving into the third round at the US Open on Wednesday.

The third-ranked Pegula needed just 56 minutes to dismantle 2020 Australian Open winner Kenin 6-3 6-1 in the first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium to set up a meeting with the 2021 runner-up, Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

"To be out of there in under an hour, it doesn't always happen. So I think I'm just going to take that one and run," said Pegula, the runner-up in 2024.

Eighth seed Ben Shelton had a more difficult time, beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 6-3 5-7 7-6(3) 7-5, as he relied on the energy of the home crowd to power through.

The Montreal winner has emerged as one of the brightest hopes of ending a 23-year US men's major drought in a diminished field missing injured world number one Jannik Sinner.

It was not all good news for the Americans, however, as the 2017 champion Sloane Stephens exited against Ukraine's 11th seed Marta Kostyuk in a 6-1 7-5 defeat.

The first round of the tournament spilled over into a fourth day on the outer courts, after relentless rain on Tuesday disrupted the schedule and rain forced another brief delay on Wednesday.

Opening the action on the Grandstand court, Alex Michelsen upset fellow American and 16th seed Brandon Nakashima 6-3 6-4 6-4 in their second-round match.