Mauresmo overpowers Russian qualifier to advance

Fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo kept her US Open bid on course on Friday with a no-nonsense 6-4, 6-2 win over Maria Kirilenko.

Fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo kept her US Open bid on course on Friday with a no-nonsense 6-4 6-2 win over Russian qualifier Maria Kirilenko to ease into the fourth round of the season's final grand slam.

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Back to full fitness, the muscular Frenchwoman has ploughed her way through the draw with the minimum of fuss and without dropping a set, losing just 12 games in three matches.

Playing in her first grand slam, 16 year-old Kirilenko battled hard in the opening set but in the second received a tennis lesson from Mauresmo.

The Frenchwoman overpowered her slight opponent by racing into a 4-0 lead on her way to clinching the match.

Mauresmo will now await the winner between ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn.