After bad start, Serena sails at U.S. Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Good as she is, even Serena Williams can find it tough to deal with swirling wind, so much so that she double-faulted three times in her first service game against 81st-ranked American Vania King. Williams quickly put her rough start behind her and beat King 6-1, 6-0 in 56 minutes to reach the third round of the U.S . Open.

While buzz around the tournament grounds built all day waiting for 15-year-old CiCi Bellis to play her second-round match at night ”“ she wound up losing ”“ Williams ran her U.S. Open winning streak to 16 matches as she tries to become the first woman to win three consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows since Chris Evert took four in a row from 1975-78.

Two past major champions, No. 8 Ana Ivanovic and No. 24 Sam Stosur, lost, as did No. 23 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and No. 27 Madison Keys, bringing the total to 11 seeded women gone after only two rounds.

In the men’s draw, 2012 U.S. Open champion Andy Murray won in straight sets, Sam Querrey beat No. 28 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, and 34-year-old Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic also won.

Notre Dame holds out another player

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame added reserve safety Eilar Hardy to the list of four Irish players being withheld from practice and games as the university completed its investigation into whether they may have turned in homework and papers completed by others.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said during a news conference Thursday that Hardy was not at practice. He played in 10 games last season, starting against Pittsburgh and BYU, and finished with 26 tackles. He did not play as a freshman or sophomore.

Cowboys’ Hamilton gets 4-game ban

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Dallas backup safety Jakar Hamilton has been suspended for the first four games for violating the league’s policy on substance abuse.

The league announced the ban Thursday. The second-year player will be eligible for the final preseason game against Denver on Thursday night.

Hamilton is the second Cowboys defensive back to get banned the first four games. Starting cornerback Orlando Scandrick was suspended for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Undrafted out of South Carolina State, Hamilton played in three games for Dallas as a rookie. He had one tackle.

Ogwumike wins WNBA rookie of year

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Chiney Ogwumike always enjoyed following her sister’s path. Now the Connecticut Sun player joins her as a winner of the WNBA rookie of the year award.

Ogwumike received the award Thursday at a news conference in Connecticut. Attending was sister Nneka of the Los Angeles Sparks, the league’s rookie of the year in 2012, and their father. This is the first time siblings have won the award.