Top seed Jannik Sinner has left the doping controversy that marred his US Open preparations in the rear-view mirror with a largely drama-free start to his campaign, while fellow title contender Carlos Alcaraz has also advanced to the second round after a minor blip.
The spotlight on Tuesday was firmly on Sinner in the day session as the Italian overcame a slow start to seal a 2-6 6-2 6-1 6-2 win over American Mackenzie McDonald a week after he was cleared of any wrongdoing over two failed tests in March for a banned drug.
Sinner, who has maintained his innocence, has been under intense scrutiny after escaping a doping ban, but the 23-year-old enjoyed fans’ backing at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“The response from fans, I feel it has been great, also throughout when the news came out, in the practice sessions, there was a lot of support, which I’m very glad and happy about,” Sinner said.
Alcaraz, another Flushing Meadows crowd favourite, gifted Australian qualifier Li Tu a set but the 2022 champion steadied the ship before closing out a 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.
The four-time Grand Slam champion got off to a hot start before the errors began to pile up and he dropped the second set. The Spaniard restored order by whipping a forehand to break in the third for a 4-3 lead and never looked back, sealing the win with his eighth ace to set up a second-round meeting with Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp.
Tu, an Adelaide native who stepped away from tennis in 2014 for six years to get a degree and start a tennis academy, won three qualifying matches to earn his first appearance on Arthur Ashe Stadium court against the third seed.
“Obviously he surprised me a little bit,” Alcaraz said in an on-court interview.
“Now I’m going to follow him and his results because I’m pretty sure I’m going to be seeing him around very, very soon.”
The 21-year-old, who won the US Open in 2022, showed no signs that his movement was limited by a right ankle injury he suffered during a practice session as he finished the match inside three hours.
Briton Dan Evans needed a much bigger effort to advance as he beat Russian 23rd seed Karen Khachanov 6-7(6) 7-6(2) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 in the longest US Open match of the professional era – an exhausting five hours and 35 minutes.
“Obviously I won’t practise tomorrow. Just recover and try and recover as best as possible. I was hurting all over really,” Evans said.
“I don’t think I’ve played five hours, that long, in a day ever in two sessions, never mind in one.”
Simply incredible. pic.twitter.com/V7AsPv0NeJ
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2024
However, Evans’s compatriot and former champion Emma Raducanu was unable to avoid the exit door as she fell 6-1 3-6 6-4 to Sofia Kenin, while fourth seed Elena Rybakina overcame a late fightback to beat Destanee Aiava 6-1 7-6(1).
An emotional Emma Raducanu said she should have got more matches under her belt before the tournament.
“When I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good, you feel like everything’s automatic. So yeah, I think I can learn from it.”</p >< p>Raducanu has not won a match at Flushing Meadows since picking up her lone major title, crashing out in the first round in 2022 and missing the tournament a year later due to injury.
Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek overcame Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4 7-6(6) to proceed as well before two-time champion Naomi Osaka stunned 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 6-2 on her return to New York after a maternity break.
Meanwhile, French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini was made to work hard by 2019 New York champion Bianca Andreescu but went through 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4.
Playing in her final Grand Slam before retiring at the end of the season, Danielle Collins was beaten 1-6 7-5 6-4 by fellow American Caroline Dolehide.
“Everybody has been so encouraging and it’s a compliment that people want to see me play more,” Collins said.
“But at the same time, I’m just kind of ready for that next chapter. The journey has been great.”
Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev fought off a spirited challenge from Dusan Lajovic to win 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-1, but 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was not so lucky, losing 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3 7-5 to Thanasi Kokkinakis.
