US Open Day 2 highlights

Canadian sixth seed Bianca Andreescu came back from a break down in the first and final sets to fend off Viktorija Golubic 7-5 4-6 7-5 in just under three hours, prevailing in her first match at Flushing Meadows since winning the title in 2019.

World number one Novak Djokovic overcame a mid-match wobble before beating cramping Danish teenager Holger Rune 6-1 6-7(5) 6-2 6-1 to reach the second round.

Seventh seed Iga Swiatek, youngest of 12 major champions in the women’s draw, breezed into the second round with a 6-3 6-4 win over American Jamie Loeb. Up next for the 20-year-old Pole is Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro, who beat Nao Hibino 6-1 6-4.

American Maxime Cressy came back from two sets down to stun Spanish ninth seed Pablo Carreno Busta 5-7 4-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(7).

Earlier, Italian 20-year-old Jannik Sinner beat Max Purcell 6-4 6-2 4-6 6-2 while compatriot Andreas Seppi saved four match points in his 2-6 7-5 6-4 2-6 7-6(13) win over Marton Fucsovics.

Italian world number eight Matteo Berrettini, a U.S. Open semi-finalist two years ago, found his rhythm after two tough sets to overcome Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 7-6(5) 7-6(7) 6-3.

Canadian seventh seed Denis Shapovalov breezed past Federico Delbonis 6-2 6-2 6-3 in a battle of the left-handers, ending a four-match losing streak since his quarter-final victory over Karen Khachanov at Wimbledon.

Olympic champion Belinda Bencic said after her 6-4 6-4 victory over Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus that she was still thinking about her Tokyo triumph.

“I’m still on cloud nine… Of course, I’m focusing on this tournament and just on playing well,” the Swiss said.

“But I feel like I want to be on cloud nine all the time… I’m very happy about it. I feel like these memories I’ll have forever. This Olympics experience… for me it’s forever and is probably going to be the biggest achievement I’ll ever have.”

World number one Ash Barty began her bid for a third Grand Slam title by beating 2010 U.S. Open runner-up Vera Zvonareva 6-1 7-6(7) in 88 minutes.

British qualifier Emma Raducanu impressed on her main draw debut in New York, beating Swiss Stefanie Voegele 6-2 6-3, while 17th seed Maria Sakkari outclassed Marta Kostyuk 6-4 6-3.

Russian 25th seed Karen Khachanov was upset by South African Lloyd Harris 6-4 1-6 4-6 6-3 6-2, while Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz moved past Egor Gerasimov from Belarus with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 6-3 win.

Olympic champion and Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic rolled past Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-4 6-4 in just 90 minutes.

In-form German Alexander Zverev extended his winning streak to 12 matches by completing a routine 6-4 7-5 6-2 win over local favourite Sam Querrey in less than two hours.

American 22nd seed Reilly Opelka, a finalist at the Canadian Open earlier this month, hit 33 aces past South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon to claim a 7-6(3) 6-4 6-4 victory.

Belgian 27th seed David Goffin lost 6-2 7-5 6-3 to American world number 30 Mackenzie McDonald.

Czech fourth seed and former finalist Karolina Pliskova fired eight aces, including one on her second match point, to beat American Caty McNally 6-3 6-4 and move into the second round in just over an hour.

Fourth seed and former finalist Karolina Pliskova began her first-round match against American Caty McNally at Louis Armstrong Stadium with the temperature hovering around 28 degrees Celsius (82.4°F).

REUTERS