Pennetta Scores Upset Over Errani and McHale Continues Run in Thursday Afternoon Open Session

In Thursday action at the 2013 U.S. Open, the women took center stage as Italy’s Flavia Pennetta scored the biggest upset so far of the day, ousting fourth-seeded fellow Italian Sara Errani in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. Pennetta took control of the match by breaking Errani’s serve in the first game, then never looked back. She finished with 33 winners to 12 for Errani, who made the semifinals last year after reaching the finals in the French Open.

Pennetta improved to 4-2 lifetime against Errani. At 31, Pennetta is five years older than her Italian Fed Cup and Olympic teammate, and she is no stranger to the big stage. Errani was bumped up to the number four seed when Maria Sharapova withdrew last week.

"I hope this can make me stronger and force me to improve," said Errani. "I hope that I will try and find the solution and will feel better. Is not for winning or losing … that is not my problem. It is about feeling good on the court."

Errani, whose serve topped out at 86 miles per hour, has only made it past the second round in one of four majors this year, the French Open.

Twenty-one-year-old Teaneck, N.J. native Christina McHale continued her run on Thursday at the Open, defeating Ukrainian teenager Elina Svitolina 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in just under three hours on Grandstand. McHale will now play for a chance to reach the fourth round for the first time at the U.S. Open when she will meet the number 13 seeded Ana Ivanovic, a 6-2, 6-1 straight-sets winner over Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru.

Defending champion and top-seeded Serena Williams reached the third round on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. The first set took 44 minutes and was a struggle for Williams, who slipped and fell while chasing a drop shot while receiving at 5-3. She got to the ball and saved game point, then closed the set two points later. The second set took only 27 minutes and Williams was one win closer to her 17th Grand Slam title. Serena will next face Yaroslava Shvedova in third round action.

In other women’s action through Thursday’s Day Session, Errani’s doubles partner, number 10 Roberta Vinci defeated Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and this year’s Wimbledon runner-up, the 16th-seeded Sabine Lisicki, defeated Paula Ormaechea of Argentina, 6-2, 6-3. Number nine-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated Alisa Kleybanova 6-3, 6-2; and Angelique Kerber, the eighth seed, defeated Canadian Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

Credit all photos to Adam Wolfthal

Ana Ivanovic was a 6-2, 6-1 straight-sets winner over Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru in Thursday action at the U.S. Open

Defending champion and top-seeded Serena Williams reached the third round of the U.S. Open on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan

New Jersey’s Christina McHale continued her run into round three of the 2013 U.S. Open