After squeezing in to US Open women's singles qualifying, Canada's Cadence Brace has recorded a nice victory.
The native of Oakville, Ont., who is entering her second NCAA season at LSU, beat Japanese veteran Nao Hibino 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in New York.
Brace, 20, is ranked 223rd in the world and was one of the last players to get a qualifying-draw spot. Hibino, a former top-50 player, is ranked 180th.
Brace will need two more wins to get a spot in the main draw, which starts Sunday.
Carol Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont. also won her first qualifier, downing No. 15 qualifying seed Maria Lourdes Carle of Argentina 7-6 (8), 6-2.
Meanwhile, Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont. lost 6-3, 6-2 to Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium in the first round of qualifying, while Liam Draxl of Newmarket, Ont. 7-5, 6-2 to Kyrian Jacquet of France in the opening round of men's qualifying.
Rebecca Marino of Vancouver won her opening-round qualifier on Monday.
