New York (AFP) – World number one Jannik Sinner began his bid for back-to-back US Open titles with an emphatic victory on Tuesday as women’s draw favourite Iga Swiatek swept into the second round. Italian star Sinner waltzed to a 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 win over Czech world number 89 Vit Kopriva, needing just 1hr 38min to advance to the next round.
“It feels great to be back here. Obviously it’s a very special tournament,” said Sinner, who is attempting to become the first man to repeat as US Open champion since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004-2008. Sinner, 24, faces Alexei Popyrin in the third round. “I’m very happy that I’m healthy again,” said Sinner, who was forced to retire from last week’s Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. “I have amazing memories (from last year). Every year is different. You come here starting this tournament hopefully in the best possible way, which I did,” he added.
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Sinner’s blistering start on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court was matched by Poland’s Swiatek, who was similarly emphatic in a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. The 24-year-old from Poland was always in control against 84th-ranked Arango, overwhelming the Colombian with some powerful groundstrokes mixed with some deft work at the net. The win makes Swiatek the first woman in history to win 65 consecutive WTA-level first round matches, surpassing Monica Seles’ previous record of 64.
Yet Swiatek’s performance was relegated to a footnote in her post-match press conference, where news of pop star Taylor Swift’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce dominated the questions.
– ‘Swiftie’ Swiatek – Swiatek is a fully paid-up “Swiftie” — the nickname given to Swift’s millions of fanatical followers — and could not hide her delight at learning of the singer’s looming nuptials. “I’m just happy for her, because she deserves the best,” Swiatek said. The six-time Grand Slam singles champion — a winner in New York in 2022 — will face the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens in the second round.
Yet while Sinner and Swiatek strolled into the second round, 2023 women’s singles champion Coco Gauff was forced to claw her way past Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in a gruelling late night battle that lasted just under three hours. Gauff racked up 59 unforced errors, 10 double faults and suffered six breaks of serve before finally prevailing 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 7-5 against Tomljanovic, ranked 79th in the world. “It wasn’t the best but I’m happy to get through to the next round,” said Gauff, who admitted she had been drained by an unsettled build-up to the tournament.
Gauff, who won her second career Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this season, overhauled her coaching team on the eve of the US Open in an effort to revamp her service game. “Honestly it’s been really tough, mentally exhausting,” Gauff said. “But I’m trying. It wasn’t the best today, but it was an improvement on last week.”
While Gauff laboured to victory, two-time former champion Naomi Osaka had no such difficulty in dispatching Belgium’s Green Minnen 6-3, 6-4. The Japanese former world number one revelled in returning to a venue that she regards as a home from home. “Whenever I play here the atmosphere feels like home, and it is home for me,” said Osaka, who is seeded 23rd and will next face American Hailey Baptiste.
Men’s third seed Alexander Zverev overcame Alejandro Tabilo of Chile in straight sets in his opening match. Zverev avoided a repeat of his first-round exit at Wimbledon last month as he beat the 122nd-ranked Tabilo 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in a contest that rolled over into the early hours of Wednesday. The German, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, saved a set point in the second set before closing out victory with a break in the final game of the match.
© 2024 AFP
