Li beats Watson in U.S. Open 1st round

Li Na reached the second round of the U.S. Open for the first time since 2009, beating Heather Watson in straight sets.

The ninth-seeded Li won 6-2, 6-3 on Monday. She's coming off a victory in Cincinnati, her first title since the 2011 French Open.

Li was upset as a top-10 seed in the first round at Flushing Meadows in each of the previous two years.

The 30-year-old from China had 28 winners Monday. The 71st-ranked Watson, the top-ranked British woman, took Maria Sharapova to three sets in the opening round in her first U.S. Open appearance last year.