NEW YORK - Canadian tennis player Cadence Brace moved a step closer to her first Grand Slam main draw berth with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Japan's Nao Hibino in U.S. Open qualifying Tuesday.

Brace was one of two Canadians to move on to the second round of women's qualifying, along with veteran Carol Zhao, who defeated 15th seed Maria Lourdes Carlé of Argentina 7-6 (8), 6-2.

The 20-year-old Brace, from Toronto, converted six of seven break-point chances to win her Grand Slam qualifying debut in a match where both players struggled to hold serve.

Hibino, 30, scored breaks on five of six chances, but lost serve three times to once for her opponent in the decisive third set.

Brace will next face 32nd-seed Veronika Erjavec of Slovenia in the second round of the women's qualifying tournament.

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