That’s all for today’s always fun, never short first day of the US Open! We’ll be back tomorrow with wall-to-wall coverage, but until then, here’s Kevin Mitchell’s latest dispatch from the grounds.
Rafael Nadal wins when David Ferrer retires!
David Ferrer retires against Rafael Nadal. Nadal wins 6-3, 3-4, ret., and will play the big-serving Vasek Pospisil on Wednesday in the second round.
Ferrer: “I have many great memories here at the US Open. This is the last grand slam of my career.”
He continues, voice breaking: “I’m so sorry that i can’t finish the match. I don’t know. Anyway. Thanks a lot. I will miss you a lot.”
And Juan Martin del Potro is through to the second round after an easy first-round win over Donald Young. The Argentine, a champion at Flushing Meadows in 2009 and two sets away from the final here a year ago, wins 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 in 1hr 43min.
Meanwhile, Nadal and Ferrer are on set in the second, but Ferrer is limping badly and it feels unlikely that he will be able to finish the match.
No cause for alarm just yet, but Nadal has been broken at love to open the second set. Not quite sure if the plot has thickened just yet, but the cornstarch may be in the offing.
Hello all. It’s Bryan again and I’m just back from watching the end of that fabulous five-setter on Court 17 where Kevin Anderson, last year’s runner-up, outlasted the American Ryan Harrison, whom, it should be noted, was not nearly the crowd favorite as you might expect thanks to the massive amount of goodwill Anderson has built up here in recent years.
Only two matches still happening on the grounds and on the main show courts.
On Armstrong, Del Potro is cruising over Donald Young, the one-time No 1 junior in the world from Chicago who, many years later, is playing in his 14th consecutive US Open main draw. It probably won’t last much longer: Delpo leads 6-0, 6-3, 2-2.
And the other on Ashe is Rafael Nadal, the three-time US Open champion who’s just broken his countryman David Ferrer to take the first set in their rematch of the 2013 French Open final.
Kevin Mitchell’s dispatch from Arthur Ashe on Serena’s sharp opening night win.
The view from the player’s box.
When your wife has a great first day back at the N.Y. office. 🗽 pic.twitter.com/jZSS7bfMGZ
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. 🚀 (@alexisohanian) August 28, 2018
Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer are getting underway on Ashe!
Around the grounds, Juan Martin del Potro bageled Donald Young in the first set of their match on Armstrong, and Dominic Thiem won easily in three sets. Ryan Harrison and Kevin Anderson did battle for 4 hours and 14 minutes on court 17, with the South African prevailing 7-6, 5-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
And with that, I hands the reigns back over to Bryan Graham, coming to you from Flushing Meadows.
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Serena, after winning her 35th career match under the lights in Ashe, will face German Carina Witthoeft in round two. Her and Venus, who plays the the hard-hitting Camilla Giorgi next, are just one win away from a third round clash in the top quarter of the women’s draw - which is wide open after no. 1 seed Simona Halep’s shocking loss to Kaia Kanepi today. “That was good news,” Serena jokes (?) about the upset.
Talking to Pam Shriver and Chris McKendry now, Serena says she was “not tight but anxious” on the court tonight, and that after a rough summer she worked on her movement and her return, both of which were in form. And after being asked about Kelly Clarkson opening for her, Serena reveals she and Alexis Ohanian considered the original American Idol victory song, A Moment Like This, for their first dance at their wedding.
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Serena Williams defeats Magda Linette 6-4, 6-0
Finished off with an ace! Things were close for about 30 minutes in this one, but the American only needed one break to find another gear. She won 57 points to Linette’s 36, plus a solid but unremarkable winners to errors ratio of 22 to 18. Williams also never faced a break point, and her serve generally gets better the further she advances in Slams.
“The first set was tight,” she tells MJ Fernandez in the post-match interview. “I think that I’m getting there. I’ve been training so hard.”
She also talks a bit about Olympia, who she didn’t get to see today. “This mama was a little emotional, but I got through it,” she says.
Second set: Williams 6-4, 5-0 Linette* (*denotes server): Barely 20 minutes have elapsed in the second set and Serena breaks a third time. She’s pushing Linette around at will now and will serve for the match.
Second set: Williams* 6-4, 4-0 Linette (*denotes server): After an 115mph ace, followed by another unreturnable serve, Serena holds to consolidate her two breaks.
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Second set: Williams 6-4, 3-0 Linette* (*denotes server): Serena breaks yet again after a ridiculous passing shot off a Linette overhead. She picked her spot and was in perfect position. Forget the serve and return winners; she’s playing some incredible defense tonight against the Pole’s formidable groundstrokes and is running away with it now.
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Around the grounds: Juan Martin del Potro and Donald Young are just getting underway on Armstrong. French Open finalist Dominic Thiem is routing the Bosnian Mirza Basic. And American Ryan Harrison is locked in a fifth set against 8th seed Kevin Anderson, a finalist at the 2017 Open and at Wimbledon last month.
Second set: Williams* 2-0 Linette (*denotes server): Serena lets out her first c’mooonnn after a tough hold. She’s got a bit of a cushion now in this second set, which means you can expect bigger and harder returns off Linette’s serve.
Second set: Williams 1-0 Linette* (*denotes server): Serena is dialed in on the return and breaks at love to take an early second set lead. This is the kind of relatively competitive but clinical win she needs to get herself settled into the tournament, especially with a 3rd round match against sister Venus looming.
Serena Williams takes the first set 6-4 against Magda Linette
After 42 minutes, the 6-time Open champ wins the first set against Magda Linette and their first-ever meeting. Serena generally doesn’t look her best in the first rounds of majors but, all things considered, she’s been sharp off the ground tonight, is serving well, and moving cleanly.
First set: Williams 5-4 Linette* (*denotes server): The Pole is staying in this one, but she’ll need to notch a break of serve to avoid falling a set behind. In 23 years on tour, Serena has lost one, yes one, first round match at a major, to Virginie Razzano at the 2012 French Open. That puts a lot into perspective after world no. 1 Simona Halep fell in the first round of the Open today for the second straight year.
First set: Williams* 5-3 Linette (*denotes server): Serena consolidates to put herself one game away from the first set. Linette is putting up a solid fight in these rallies, but Seren’a clutch serving and returning is the difference so far.
First set: Williams 4-3 Linette* (*denotes server): And just like that, Serena breaks after a rocket of a forehand return and a sloppy Linette backhand. It was only a matter of time...
Victoria Azarenka wins 6-3, 7-5 against Viktoria Kuzmova
The two-time Aussie Open champ, former world no. 1 and working mom wins the first match of the very first official night session on the revamped Louis Armstrong court.
First set: Williams* 3-3 Linette (*denotes server): Serena holds comfortably at love to even things up again. In case you missed it, read her touching Instagram post last week about being a new mother and struggling with postpartum depression.
First set: Williams 2-3 Linette* (*denotes server): We remain on serve as Linette, a solid baseliner who’s notched wins this year over both Daria Kasatkina and Evgeniya Rodina, holds yet again. So far this match is relatively high quality, if especially humid.
First set: Williams* 2-2 Linette (*denotes server): Serena holds easily – and her serve is heating up, which is never good news for whoever’s across the net.
Check out this dispatch from Simon Cambers on Sam Stosur, who’s returning to the tournament where she took down Serena in the 2011 final.
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First set: Williams 1-2 Linette* (*denotes server): Linette holds to keep things on serve. So far, she’s absorbing Serena’s pace quite well. The American, for her part, is doing her best to finish points off at the net and seems to be settling in. Williams didn’t look all that comfortable moving forward in the Wimbledon final against Kerber, a sly counterpuncher, but she’s clearly resolved to stay aggressive tonight.
First set: Williams* 1-1 Linette (*denotes server): Though she’s racked up six unforced errors in the first two games, thanks to a few wild forehands, Serena holds to even things up at 1-1. Debuting a new dress from the Nike-Virgil Abloh collaboration, Serena looks to be easing her way into this one.
First set: Williams 0-1 Linette* (*denotes server): Linette opens with a hold after a few bruising rallies. Serena’s hitting her groundstrokes cleanly so far but missed an easy put-away volley at 0-30.
We are underway on Ashe!
Linette, the 26 year-old from Poland, will serve to kick things off.
Serena was predictably terse in her pre-match interview with Mary Joe Fernandez, but she seems pumped to be back at the Open for the first time since 2016. That was the year she bowed out shockingly to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals, just two matches away from completing a calendar-year Grand Slam. Williams last won this tournament in 2014.
Updates from around Flushing Meadows: Victoria Azarenka took the first set 6-3 over Viktoria Kuzmova on Armstrong. They’ll be followed by no. 3 seed and ‘09 Open champ Juan Martin del Potro, who’s taking on the American Donald Young. Elsewhere, 18 year-old Felix Auger Aliassime split sets with fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov before he was brutally forced to retire with heart issues. The two shared a touching embrace at the net. And Americans Denis Kudla and Ryan Harrison are in good positions to advance to round two: Kudla’s up two sets on Italian Matteo Berretini while Harrison’s staging a comeback against 8th seed Kevin Anderson, who’s being treated for cramps.
If you’re just tuning in, Kelly Clarkson is performing a medley of hits old and new before Serena Williams takes on Magda Linette in the first night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams will be followed by top-ranked Rafael Nadal, who plays countryman David Ferrer, who’ll certainly go down as one of the best players of this era to have not won a Grand Slam title. Ferrer’s expected to retire after the US Open, so his first-rounder against Rafa is not wanting for storylines.
The family of the great Arthur Ashe is in attendance at the stadium named for him as Billie Jean King and USTA president Katrina Adams ring in the 50th anniversary of his historic win at the ‘68 Open. Some essential reading material on the 3-time major champion and civil rights hero: John McPhee’s New Yorker piece Levels of the Game, on Ashe and Clark Graebner’s ‘68 US Open semi, and this touching reflection on his “quiet heroism” in today’s New York Times.
For those of you not watching ESPN’s coverage of the Open, John McEnroe and Chrissie Evert are in a heated debate about whether or not Serena needs matchplay entering the year’s final slam (“You go on and talk about the women’s game,” Evert tells Johnny Mac sarcastically).
Serena’s 12-5 on the year with just seven tournaments under her belt. Her best result, of course, was making the final at Wimbledon last month, where she lost to Angelique Kerber. She looked impressive at the French Open, too, where she withdrew before a much-anticipated 4th rounder against Maria Sharapova. But she won only one match over the summer hard court season, losing badly to Johanna Konta in San Jose and falling to Petra Kvitova in three sets Cincinnati. “I feel like everything is just different in terms of I’m living a different life, I’m playing the U.S. Open as a mom,” Williams said in a pre-tournament presser on Saturday. “It’s just new and it’s fresh.”
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Also, Nike’s released yet another awesome ad, with home footage of a mini-Serena cross-cut with some of her best US Open moments (she’s won the tournament six times, in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014).
It’s only a crazy dream until you do it. #justdoit @serenawilliams pic.twitter.com/8XUuJwBbXw
— Nike (@Nike) August 27, 2018
While we wait for the main event (preceded by a performance by Kelly Clarkson), some scores from around the grounds. Young Canadians Denis Shapovalov (b. 1999) and Felix Auger Aliassime (b. 2000) are tied at one set a piece on Grandstand. Two-time Open finalist and former world no. 1 Victoria Azarenka’s just kicked off the Armstrong night session against Viktoria Kuzmova. Americans Stevie Johnson and Denis Kudla are each up a set in their first-rounders. And Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson is up a set and 5-5 against the speedy American Ryan Harrison.
Thanks, Bryan. In just a few minutes on Ashe, Serena Williams takes the US Open court for the first time since 2016 to begin her quest for a record 24th major title. She’ll play 60th-ranked Pole Magda Linette, who she’s never faced before. Her sister Venus, however, who just gutted out a three-set win over Svetlana Kuznetsova, is 3-0 lifetime against Linette, and surely gave her younger sister some insight.
Now as the crowds funnel into Arthur Ashe Stadium for the glitzy opening ceremony, I’ll hand off to our Jake Nevins for the next few hours.
The No 28 seed Denis Shapovalov has opened up a little distance against fellow Canadian teenager Felix Auger Aliassime, who won three matches last week to qualify for the main draw. Shapovalov, who leads by a set and a break in the second, has only made 50% of his first serves in the match but he’s been dialed in of late, including a 137mph service winner just moments ago.
Venus Williams ousts Svetlana Kuznetzova on Ashe!
Big cheers in Ashe and all over the grounds as Venus Williams closes it out, winning 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 over Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2hr 55min. Williams, who hit three times as many winners (48) as unforced errors (16), improves to 20-0 in first-round matches at Flushing Meadows. “It seemed like she played her best whenever I was up so it wasn’t easy to close that match out,” the seven-time major champion says.
Elsewhere, American Taylor Fritz has completed a marathon comeback, winning 4-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-2 over Mischa Zverev on Court 10.
Sloane Stephens’ US Open title defense is off to a smashing start after 6-1, 7-5 over Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina in 76 minutes on the new Armstrong. Stephens was cruising toward the win up a set and a break until a brief second-set hiccup, but she elevated her level over the last few games and won going away. She advances to a winnable second-round match on Wednesday against either Kathinka von Deichmann and Anhelina Kalinina, a pair of qualifiers who are currently pushing one another into a third hour on Court 6.
As usual the better drama on day one is happening on the outer courts. American up-and-comer Taylor Fritz has just forced a fifth and deciding set against Mischa Zverev, who was hardly moving at the end of the fourth-set tiebreaker over on Court 10. Sam Querrey, a quarter-finalist here in 2017, has just retired trailing two sets to one against Italy’s Andres Seppi. Meanwhile, Venus has backed up the early break and taken a 2-0 lead in the deciding set against Kuznetsova on Ashe.
Thanks, James. We’re back under way on Ashe after the 10-minute heat break and Venus has broken in the opening game of the decider. Kuznetsova saved the first three break-point chances of the marathon game, but sprayed a running backhand wide on the fourth and Williams has drawn first blood. Can she back it up?
And that’s all from me with Bryan Armen Graham now taking you through the conclusion of this match and the late session. Thank you for your company, been a pleasure.
And to catch up with some earlier scores
Men’s first round
KAREN KHACHANOV (RUS, 27) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 6-3, 6-2 6-3; JACK SOCK (USA, 18) bt Guido Andreozzi (ARG) 6-0, 7-6 (4), 6-2; Guido Pella (ARG) bt Casper Ruud (NOR) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1; Gilles Simon (FRA) bt Lloyd George Harris (RSA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3; MILOS RAONIC (CAN, 25) bt Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 7-6 (4), 6-4 1-6, 6-3, Andy Murray (GBR) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-3; Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) bt Kyle Edmund (GBR, 16) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1
Women’s first round
Jil Belen Teichmann (SUI) bt Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) 6-3, 6-0; Vera Lapko (BLR) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 6-3, 6-3; Qiang Wang (CHN) bt MAGDALENA RYBARIKOVA (SVK, 31) 6-2, 6-2; Kaia Kanepi (EST) bt SIMONA HALEP (ROU, 1) 6-2, 6-4; Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) bt Jennifer Brady (US) 6-3, 6-3; ELINA SVITOLINA (UKR, 7) bt Sachia Vickery (USA) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1; Vania King (USA) bt Natalia Vikhlyantseva (RUS) 7-6 (4), 6-3; ELISE MERTENS (BEL, 15) bt Kurumi Nara (PN) 6-2, 6-7 (5) 7-5
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The players are having a 10-minute heat break so we’ll go around the courts before I pass you to my colleague Bryan Armen Graham. Sloane Stephens is 2-1 up in the second after winning the first set 6-1. Wimbledon semi-finalist Sam Querrey is locked 1-1 against Andreas Seppi, although the Italian leads the third set 4-1. Cameron Norrie has fought back from 4-1 down to trail Jordan Thompson 5-4 in their first set. America’s Taylor Fritz has also launched a comeback, two sets down to Mischa Zverez he’s close to taking into in a fifth with the score at 5-5.
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Kuznetsova wins the second set! Venus flops a close-range smash straight to Kuznetsova for the Russian to take advantage. She then double faults and we’re into a decider. Deary dear.
Venus has five double faults and a 55% first serve accuracy, which is allowing a revitalised Kuznetsova to stay in the match. It’s deuce.
Sloane Stephens, the defending champion, takes the first set against Rodina 6-1 and could be home and hosed inside an hour at this rate. Kuznetsova, meanwhile, is still there and a Venus backhand goes long and it’s 6-5 to the Russian with the feeling of a bit of a momentum shift.
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But Kuznetsova fights back, capitalising on a double fault and some weak second serves to level at 5-5. As blindingly obvious as it sounds, Venus really won’t want this to go to a third.
On Arthur Ashe, Venus Williams is 5-4 in the second and serving for the match.
Kevin Mitchell watched Andy Murray beat James Duckworth earlier, you can read his report here. Meanwhile, Stephens has gone 4-1 up and is cruising... and firing down 78mph forehands!
Cameron Norrie hasn’t enjoyed the best of starts. The British No 2 is 4-1 down to Jordan Thompson after just 21 minutes.
Safe to say Stephens is into her stride. Smooth footwork and that big forehand with Rodina offering not much more than just defence at this stage, and struggling to dictate anything to the American. The defending champion breaks and leads 3-1.
Bosnian 24th seed Damir Dzumhur is in a spot of bother, down 6-3, 1-6, 3-5 to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia.
The next two games go to serve with Stephens moving with a typical laissez faire but still efficient attitude. Elsewhere, Kuznetsova isn’t letting Venus Williams get away without a fight and the second set is 4-3 in favour of the American. Croatia’s Borna Coric is 6-2, 6-2 on veteran German Florian Mayer.
That didn’t go exactly according to plan for Stephens but she takes the game nonetheless.
But just like that, the world No 3’s thunderous groundstrokes bring her back to deuce.
Sloane Stephens’ record in north American tournaments since the summer of 2017 – 27-5 (84.37%). She’s handed three break points to Rodina here, though.
Going to pick up the start of Sloane Stephens’ title defence as she meets Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina on Louis Armstrong. Interesting to see how Stephens copes with the pressure and added expectation but she’s surely too good to follow Simona Halep out at this stage... Over on Arthur Ashe, Venus Williams is poised to reach the second round leading Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 4-1. Britain’s Cameron Norrie has just started on Court 13 against Australia’s Jordan Thompson.
Next up for Andy Murray is Fernando Verdasco, who he’s beaten 13 of 14 matches they’ve played.
Murray said: “At times it was tricky, especially early on. It was very lively and very hot and James was serving big and throwing me off my rhythm with lots of drop shots.
“I made a bit of a change on the return games, started standing a bit further back and started getting into the rallies and I managed to find my range with the groundstrokes.”
Andy Murray beats James Duckworth 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-3!
His serve was rock solid throughout most of the match and it sees him past the dogged Duckworth 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. A delicate passing shot down the line setting up match point before finishing things off. It wasn’t vintage Murray, it wasn’t going to be, but he came through unscathed following an early hiccup in the first set tiebreak. Duckworth was a great opponent for him to face in many ways, testing his movement and forcing him into a strategical rethink. It turned into percentage tennis but that’s what it needed to be as he kept pressuring the Aussie into making unforced errors and capitalising on his erratic first serve. Job done.
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Murray not exerting himself at all in that game, Duckworth going through the motions to win and pass the ball back to the Scot.
Another excellent batch of first serves and Murray is 5-2 up and almost there. Around the courts, Venus Williams has won her first set against Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, Mischa Zverez is two sets up over Taylor Fritz while Agnieszka Radwanska could be on her way out to Germany’s Tatjana Maria, down 4-3 in the second.
Duckworth has just the 64 unforced errors...
Murray breaks back! The best and worst of Duckworth there. Leading 40-30 he double faulted to take it to deuce and then was on the ropes as a rally wore him down. But a beautiful backhand restored parity only to be undone by another double fault. He found the net cord to keep Murray in check but a mishit into the crowd and a third double fault handed the game to the Scot. 4-2, Murray is closing in.
Duckworth’s drop shot isn’t hard to hide as he starts the stroke from waaaaay up high, but it’s hard to stop, especially for a Murray who isn’t quite as explosive from a standing start as he once was. 30-30 in the game.
And he takes it. Murray was turning the screw, was in control having taken a second break and and led that last game 30-0 with little sign of pressure. But that Duckworth energy and tenacity just won’t go away and he deserved that on sheer will alone. Murray still leads 3-2 but should be out of sight.
Hang about. Just as Murray was looking imperious and about to move 4-1 ahead, the Aussie fights back and has a break point.
Simon McMahon is enjoying this as he emails.
Evening James. Really great to have Andy back competing in Grand Slams after his hip surgery. I for one have missed him, and for him to make it through even a couple of rounds in New York would be a significant achievement after a year out, setting him up nicely for a proper tilt at claiming his first Australian Open in January. He really should have won there at least once already, and it would be a shame to think he won’t add at least one more Grand Slam to his name before retirement. I mean, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic can’t go on for ever, can they? Can they?
Pretty sure we were saying that five years ago...
This year marks the 40th of the US Open’s move to Flushing Meadows and our picture editors have compiled this quite lovely gallery of some of the most iconic moments on the hard courts of the USTA National Tennis Center in Queens. Enjoy.
That was rapid with Murray again serving to move 2-1 up. You kind of sense the end is nigh for Duckworth who has the shot but lacks the consistency and the screw is gradually being turned. That previous game was a big miss for the Aussie and it could be starting to affect him.
Those Duckworth mistakes keep happening, though, as he sends a regulation forehand long and gives Murray the chance to break. A double fault follows and we’re all square. That was poor.
But with that ... Duckworth breaks (his first break points since the first set) and Murray smashes his racket to the floor. But escapes a violation. Elsewhere, Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego has won an epic on Court 15, beating Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller 7-6, 6-7, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 in four hours and 16 minutes.
John McEnerney’s question may well have been answered at the end of that set. Murray looking good and increasingly assured.
@piercy360 will we see what I call the MMMM(MurraysMidMatchMeltdown)u know when he starts screaming at himself like a demented highland Banshee after losing a few games on the hop or has he mellowed in fatherhood. He looks in fine fettle but those hardcourts will test the hip!
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) August 27, 2018
Andy Murray wins the third set
The errors are undoing all Duckworth’s hard work and putting Murray firmly back in control. Two more mistakes on serve give Murray break point, a tepid second serve then has him on the back foot and then the former world No 1 then goes through the gears, putting the pressure on with each shot on the rally to force another mis-hit from the Australia.
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This set has been tit-for-tat. A double fault threatened to derail him but another unforced error from Duckworth following a long-ish rally moves the scores to 6-5 in favour of the former world No 1. Meanwhile, on Court 5, Australia’s Ashleigh Barty has beaten Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-1, 6-3. The 18th seed is into the second round for the third time and will face either Lucie Safarova or Petra Martic.
But he can serve when it counts. Murray not really offering much with his returning, maybe waiting for his opponent to make the mistakes, but Duckworth’s casual forehand flick makes it 5-5.
Unforced error update: Murray – 16; Duckworth – 48. The Aussie is mercurial, to say the least.
Duckworth has only had two break points in this match and should really have had a third. After building the pressure at 30-30 he plants a close-range volley straight into the net with Murray to his left and struggling to make ground. The Scot then takes the game and Duckworth now must serve to stay in the set.
Murray’s serve may be resolute and relentless but Duckworth’s not giving him many opportunities. Thick and fast he takes it to 4-4 with Murray gesturing to the gallery as he fails to read it properly.
Murray back on top at 4-3 following a stubborn service game to love. Meanwhile, after the exit of Grigor Dimitrov, Roberto Bautista Agut is the next men’s seed to fall. The Spaniard and No 19 seed has lost 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to Australia’s Jason Kubler.
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Duckworth responds in kind, levelling at 3-3 despite two ferocious Murray backhands. The Australian’s energy and all-round competitiveness is admirable to say the least. This match is all square for a reason.
Murray moves 3-2 up with a confident service game, dropping just one point. Confirmation that 12th seed Muguruza is through, beating Zhang 6-3, 6-0. Isner also sees of Klahn for a 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. He plays Chile’s Nicolas Jarry next, who earlier beat Peter Gojowczyk of Germany 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
On Grandstand, the most likely American in the men’s draw to win this US Open aka John Isner is serving for the match against countryman Bradley Klahn.
Duckworth still showcasing plenty of shots. Keeping Murray on the move and advancing to the net with confidence. The heat has also caused him to switch shirts from white to a kind of green and black, jagged diagonal stripes. He takes the game as Murray finds the net and it’s 2-2.
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If you fancy a change of scenery, Jacob Steinberg is on Manchester United v Tottenham in the Premier League, which kicks off in just over five minutes.
2017 Wimbledon champion Garbiñe Muguruza is on her way to a comfortable first round victory over Shuai Zhang of China. The Spaniard, who doesn’t have a great record at Flushing Meadows, leads 6-3, 5-0.
Back at Louis Armstrong Stadium and Andy Murray and James Duckworth are 1-1 in the third set.
Heather Watson’s US Open is over. After a spirited second set comeback, the British qualifier goes down 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova.
Should be noted that Wawrinka did take a short injury break in that match and when asked after on court he was especially coy, not saying what it was or how bad it felt. He finished strongly enough to suggest his fitness is as good as it’s been for a long time, but if those five-setters start to build over the tournament...
Stan Wawrinka beats Grigor Dimitrov
And that is that! Wawrinka bangs down an unstoppable ace right down the centre and is absolutely delighted, and so he should be. Wawrinka is through and world No 8 Dimitrov is out. 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 is pretty comprehensive for the Swiss who, barring injury, is one to watch with rookies Collin Altamirano or Ugo Humbert up next.
Wawrinka says: “It’s always tough in the first round to play your best tennis but against Dimitrov I knew it would be a good match. I was solid, moving well and I kept my line which was the most important thing.
“I’m coming back from injury so there is a lot of doubt as to how my body will react but I will have to take care of it.”
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Over on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Stan Wawrinka is serving for the match against Grigor Dimitrov. He’s 30-15 up.
Andy Murray wins the second set
And Murray takes it to level at 1-1. Regulation stuff as Duckworth’s scrambling more an evidence of Murray’s placement than his own talents. The momentum is with the Scot whose gradually playing his way back into this. Murray was 6/7 of the net and Duckworth’s scattergun serve is starting to let him down.
Three break and set points from Murray. Wow, that was quick. Duckworth losing his range completely.
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Positive from Murray as a ripping serve down the centre has Duckworth off-balance and forced to loft a return beyond the line. Murray leads 5-3.
James Piercy is back from his break, so I’ll hand you back now. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon/evening!
Kyle Edmund is out! He goes down 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 to Paolo Lorenzi
The Brit never recovered from that cramping, in which is required a medical time out. Edmund was a shadow of a man in that fifth set – his body simply gave up.
Murray continues to press, racing to a 15-40 lead. Just in his last service game, Duckworth saves the first break point with a canny second serve down the T and a loose Murray backhand into the net sees the Australian to deuce, before he rips a forehand down the line and closes out the game with a beautiful slicing serve out wide. Murray will be concerned at how effectively Duckworth is scrambling here. Pulling out big shots when they are needed, but still a break down.
Two more break point for Murray, but Duckworth scrambles back to deuce and eventually closes it out for 2-3 down. It is definitely looking harder for the Australian here as Murray ups the tempo: the Scot doesn’t seem to be having any trouble on his serve as he cruises to a 4-2 lead. Duckworth doesn’t seem to be able to hurt Murray on his second serve, Murray has won more than 70% of his second serve points.
Edmund is fading fast against Paolo Lorenzi. That last set really looks like it’s taken it out of him – the legs are gone and the facial expressions tell a story. Edmund is 5-0 down in the fifth and staring down the barrel of a first-round exit.
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Elsewhere around the courts, Ashleigh Barty has started her tournament against the Tunisian Ons Jabeur and Mischa Zverev, older brother of Alexander, is up and running against Taylor Swift Fritz.
Murray breaks! A loose shot pings off the frame of Duckworth’s racket and lands long with the Scot converting his second break point of the game to take a 2-1 lead. Murray makes no mistake in his next service game to open up a little cushion. A 3-1 lead for the former champion here.
Dimitrov is showing a bit more fight agains Wawrinka, he’s 3-2 up and it’s 30-30 in the sixth game with Wawrinka on serve. The Bulgarian is the eighth seed, remember, and more importantly, was named as the most handsome player on the tour by Rafa Nadal.
That’s the first time in Murray’s career that he’s lost the opening set of the US Open. But he’s started the first game of the second set well, dropping just one point on his serve. 1-0.
Hello everyone. Heather Watson has battled back in the second set against Ekaterina Makarova. She’s won it 6-3 and ties the match to take it into a final set.
Duckworth has been as busy as he is powerful with Murray a little static so far, despite some fine shots over the course of the set. With that, I’m popping out for a quick break and will hand you to my colleague Michael Butler.
Andy Murray loses the first set
It’s Duckworth who then controls the rally and Murray goes long. The Aussie takes the tiebreak 7-5.
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Duckworth’s second serve is some beast. High risk it may be but 112mph takes him to 6-5 and he has set point.
Again Duckworth challenges at the net but again the Scot sends a backhand out of his reach. A long baseline rally then sees the Aussie find the net – 4-4 and Murray serving.
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Kyle Edmund has lost the third set to Paolo Lorenzi 7-5 and is 2-1 down.
Better from Murray. Duckworth races to the net but Murray’s backhand is drilled into the corner. 3-2 to the Aussie.
Duckworth with some brilliant cross-court shots, forehand then backhand, and he leads the tiebreak 2-0.
Stan Wawrinka bringing the wow factor. The Swiss takes the second set 6-2 and Grigor Dimitrov is in deep, deep trouble. Duckworth takes the first set against Murray into a tiebreak.
But an overhead smash restores parity. Murray has had his chances.
Duckworth roars into the sky after planting a shot into the net and Murray has a second set point.
Kyle Edmund needs to muster his serving strength as he’s 6-5 down to Paolo Lorenzi in the third set.
A 134mph first serve helps stamp out that threat, followed by a sharp forehand and Duckworth has advantage.
Not sure if it’s his 96mph second serves, his work around the court or the 60 per cent humidity in New York but Duckworth is looking very, very sweaty. His shirt completely stuck to his chest. He double faults and Murray has a break and set point.
Duckworth misdirects a smash into the net and is forced to again serve to save the set at 6-5. On Arthur Ashe, Wawrinka is serving to take a two-set lead over Grigor Dimitrov.
Murray unable to apply any pressure in that game and Duckworth holds to make it 5-5. Hot on the heels of Jack Sock, who eased past Guido Andreozzi 6-0, 7-6, 6-2, fellow American Vania King has beaten Natalia Vikhlyantseva of Russia 7-6, 6-3.
Duckworth will certainly need to up that first serve accuracy as Murray serves to love, finishing it off with a beautiful forehand, opening his body up, and leads 5-4.
It has to be said, Murray’s playing pretty well here. Some elegant swings of the racket and looking in control but Duckworth is a real scrambler and his second serve looks a real weapon, with just a 36 per cent accuracy on his first serve. 4-4 in the first, Murray serving.
Argentina’s Guido Pella has put Norwegian talent Casper Ruud in his place. The 19-year-old was making his debut at Flushing Meadows but it won’t be a particularly fond memory as he’s dispatched 6-4, 6-4, 6-1. Pella plays the winner of Edmund-Lorenzi with the scores levelled 1-1 in sets and 3-3 in games.
A 98mph second serve by the Australian levels the first set at 3-3. Wawrinka is now 3-0 up in the second against Dimitrov.
Murray has his first break point but Duckworth has some shots in him and pings back a backhand winner to move the sixth game to deuce.
In case you missed it, Simona Halep crashed out to Kaia Kanepi in the opening match of the tournament, comprehensively beaten 6-2, 6-4.
Wawrinka is on fire on Arthur Ashe. The Swiss leads Dimitrov 2-0 in the second set. Heather Watson lost her first set to Ekaterina Makarova 6-1.
Serena Williams is on court around midnight (BST) against Poland’s Magda Linette, although she claims she won’t be donning her famous catsuit from the French Open. “When it comes to fashion, you don’t want to be a repeat offender” as she said.
However, the outfit, worn to combat blood clots post-childbirth, remains a bone of contention in Roland Garros who have somewhat unnecessarily banned it. Serena has largely kept her counsel over the decision but here’s Chitra Ramaswamy on the matter.
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And Murray closes out the game with two laser-like serves, preventing Duckworth from getting his racket properly around them. Stan Wawrinka has taken the first set against Grigor Dimitrov 6-3.
Duckworth annoyed with himself as he sends two returns long and Murray is able to take it to deuce.
Russia’s Karen Khachanov has certainly served notice of what he’s all about. The 22-year-old is into the second round, blitzing his way past Albert Ramos Viñolas 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Meanwhile, Murray is in early trouble as James Duckworth has two break points.
Heather Watson is also now on court, the British qualifier 3-1 down to Ekaterina Makarova.
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Duckworth has never beaten a top-20 player but is showing his capabilities with some accurate and aggressive groundstrokes. Murray moving well but a big serve allows the Australia to level 1-1.
America’s Jack Sock looks on course for a place in the second round - 6-0, 7-6 and 3-1 up in his match with Guido Andreozzi of Argentina.
Kyle Edmund hauled in by Paolo Lorenzi, the Italian taking the second set 6-4. Murray wins the first game, reeling off four straight points.
Andy Murray under way, serving against James Duckworth. The Australian takes the first point, though. A snappy forehand winner at 85mph.
France’s Gilles Simon is looking good in his first round match with young South African Lloyd Harris. The veteran leads 6-2, 6-2.
Andy Murray is due on court any time now. In the Wawrinka-Dimitrov blockbuster on Arthur Ashe, there’s predictably nothing between the two players as Dimitrov levels at 3-3, with the opening set still on serve. Elina Svitolina is safely through, beating Sachia Vickery 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.
Halep will still retain her world No 1 status but the US Open really hasn’t been a place of great comfort for her. Two consecutive second round defeats and her best a semi-final appearance in 2015. Not good enough for an elite player. Her exit also opens up that quarter of the draw with a certain Venus and Serena Williams (who could meet in the third round) now theoretically having a more manageable path into the last eight but then, on this form, Kanepi will take some stopping.
Halep isn’t the only seed to suffer the earliest of exits. No 31 seed Magdalena Rybarikova follows her out, losing 6-2, 6-2 to China’s Qiang Wang.
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So, taking a breather, here are some other scores. Seventh seed Elina Svitolina should be closing out her match against America’s Sachia Vickery on Grandstand, leading 4-0 in the third having been given a scare in the second set. Jack Sock is two sets up against Guido Andreozzi, winning the second in a tie breaker. Kyle Edmund is 3-4 down in his second set against Paolo Lorenzi. Karen Khachanov is two sets up against Albert Ramos Viñolas. Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov are locked at 2-2 in the first.
Kanepi’s secret to beating Halep: “Staying aggressive all the time.” ‘Bout sums it up. She meets Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann in the second round.
World No 1 Simona Halep is out
Kaia Kanepi has completely outplayed the world No 1 and first seed in just one hour and 15 minutes, closing out the second set 6-4. Halep just couldn’t get a handle on the Estonian’s power and the variation of her groundstrokes. Outside of the very first game, in which she served comfortably and a brief comeback in the second to bring it back to 4-4, it was one-way traffic. Halep is the first No 1 seed to lose in the first round at the US Open in the Open era. That’s 50 years, folks.
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Kanepi tees Halep up, going from right to left and back again. The world No 1 finds the net and the Estonian has two match points
Not wanting to tempt fate, but story of the match so far? Look no further. Absolute power.
This is (at best) mixed stuff from Halep. Some nice groundstrokes to encourage Kanepi to move and keep her off balance and then she drills one into the net. And the Estonian breaks again! Halep responds to her drop shot by smashing the ball into the stands. Kanepi leads 5-4 and is serving for the match.
Just when Halep looked to finding some sense of control, Kanepi battles back to take it to deuce with more power hitting.
Apologies for the lack of updates around the courts but this is proving quite the match. In other news, 31st seed Magdalena Rybarikova is serving to stay in the tournament, 5-2 down in the second set to China’s Qiang Wang.
But Kanepi finds the net and Halep has levelled at 4-4. The comeback, if it wasn’t already, is on.
A nice little stat for you
In the Open Era, the No.1 seed has never lost in the first round @usopen.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 27, 2018
It has happened 5 times across all Slams: pic.twitter.com/gKVA2Ffmc1
Arthur Ashe Stadium welcomes it’s first match with 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka meeting eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov. Decent little opener, that.
Halep looking a little more comfortable to bring it back to 4-3. But there were still two huge winners from Kanepi in that game. She’s not going anywhere.
Again, booming serve from Kanepi into the right corner, Halep returns... just. A backhand to the left and then a drop shot to finish her off. Halep finds the net on the next point and Kanepi leads 4-2.
Ouch, a monster forehand from Kanepi which could have been a forearm smash in wrestling. Halep is not happy and she could be 4-2 down here.
Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann is our first first-round winner, beating Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia 6-3, 6-0. This is Teichmann’s first US Open and she faces the winner of Halep-Kanepi next ... I wonder who she’s rooting for.
Halep finally forcing the issue, building the rallies, slowing down the contest and making Kanepi deliver unforced errors. She wins back-to-back games to move 3-2 down.
Kyle Edmund has taken the first set against Paolo Lorenzi 6-4.
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And she takes it as a maybe-the-nerves-are-getting-to-her Kanepi double faults.
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This is a rare sight. Halep has her first break point.
The race is on as to who can be the first giant-killer as world No 52 Qiang Wang leads 31 seed Magdalena Rybarikova 2-1 in the second.
Halep loops two baseline shots long and Kanepi breaks again. One set down and 0-3 in the second, it’s all for the world No 1 to do.
Kyle Edmund is 5-3 up against Paolo Lorenzi while women’s seventh seed Elina Svitolina took her first set 6-3 against America’s Sachia Vickery.
This is textbook stuff from Kanepi. Two massive groundstrokes sending Halep scurrying from one corner to the other and then a sliced drop shot she can only flick into the net. She takes the second with another huge forehand and it’s 2-0 in the second.
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And we have our first racket smash! Halep loses the first point of the second game and produces a decent dent after two big hits to the floor.
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And Kanepi breaks again! Banging down a forehand which Halep was nowhere near. She’s being overpowered here and her serve keep setting up the Estonian. Worrying times for the world No 1.
Jack Sock has breezed to take the first set 6-0 in his match with Guido Andreozzi. Kyle Edmund is being given a match by Paolo Lorenzi but leads 4-3. Karen Khachanov is one-set up against Albert Ramos Viñolas, winning it 6-3.
A few first set stats
Kanepi was 4/5 at the net; Halep 0/2
12 of 24 Kanepi’s points were receiving serve
In terms of winners, Kanepi was 13 to Halep’s 6
Halep back on court after her tactical totally necessary bathroom break and serving to start the second set.
Wow! Kanepi has three set points but only needs one to plant a forehand winner right in the corner and a wrong-footed Halep can only watch it fly by. Halep is off for a comfort break. The Estonian takes the first set 6-2.
Wang has closed out the set 6-2 against Rybarikova after a brief comeback by the 31 seed and the upset is on. Karen Khachanov is serving for the set in his match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Halep holds but it’s Kanepi now serving for the set at 5-2. That was better from the world No 1, however, mixing up the pace and her shot selection.
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Better from Halep with a couple of fine forehands winners to move to 30-15.
Over on Court 17, America’s Jack Sock is cruising at 5-0 against Guido Andreozzi of Argentina. Sock has never been further than the fourth round at his home grand slam. Strangely, the world No 18 has also lost in the first round at his last four majors. Kanepi is 5-1 up. Halep struggling for answers.
And Halep is long for a double break. Kanepi leads 4-1. Well I never...
Kanepi’s forehand is proving a potent weapon, constantly forcing Halep back, as she sets up a second break point.
Wang is now 5-0 up and serving for the first set against Rybáriková. Edmund leads Lorenzi 2-1.
Halep is long from the baseline, having hit her previous backhand from deep into the net, and Kanepi leads 3-1, playing very confidently, it has to be said. The world No 1’s radar is a little off at the moment.
Lorenzi has broken back against Edmund, 1-1 there. One seed who is struggling is Russia’s Magdaléna Rybáriková. The 31st seed is 4-0 down to Wang Qiang of China.
Halep places another shot into the net to give Kanepi the chance of a break and she takes it with a lovely lob after a bit of a fluffed backhand by the Romanian.
Kanepi levels as Halep under-hits a drop shot into the net. Elsewhere, Kyle Edmund has broken Paolo Lorenzi to a 1-0 lead, Milos Raonic is 1-0 up against Carlos Berlocq and Jack Sock leads Guido Andreozzi 1-0.
Halep takes the first game on serve in a sparsely-populated Louis Armstrong. Kanepi gave two examples of her powerful groundstrokes levelling at 30-30 but a decent start by the world No 1.
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Fancy watching Murray limber up? The US Open has you covered.
Andy Murray Ready For Grand Slam Return At 2018 US Open https://t.co/YXMNfRnw5s
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 27, 2018
World No 1 Simona Halep is on court to premier the new-look Louis Armstrong. The Romanian hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in New York, reaching the semi-finals in 2015 and was eliminated in the first round last year by Maria Sharapova. But since Roland Garros the narrative around her has now shifted from whether or not she has the mental capacity to win a major to, this is a more relaxed and confident version of Halep.
The form guide dictates she’s the one to beat having reached the finals Montreal and Cincinnati but fatigue could be an issue given the volume of tennis she’s played over the summer plus she could be playing Venus or Serena Williams in the fourth round. Kaia Kanepi is also a potential banana skin, a tall powerful returner who has form in this tournament. Halep won the only previous meeting, at Doha in 2014.
Aside from the headliners there are some promising up-and-comers to potentially keep an eye in the men’s draw today.
Russia’s Karen Khachanov is up soon on Court 6 against Spain’s Albert Ramos Viñolas. Khachanov is at a career high 26 in the world and reached the semi-finals in Toronto, losing to Nadal.
Stefanos Tsitsipas went one further in Canada becoming succumbing to Nadal and the 20-year-old is being talked up as a potential dark horse. The Greek has an absolutely blistering forehand which will be on show in his opener against Spain’s Tommy Robredo on Court 11 at around 20:30 BST. Tsitsipas was three when Robredo made his debut at Flushing Meadows.
Then there’s the all-Canadian bro-fest between Denis Shapovalov and 18-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime at around 22:00 on Grandstand. Shapovalov is seeded 28 but hasn’t enjoyed the most consistent of years, having not won three matches at a tournament since the Madrid Open in May.
Along with the brand, spanking new and freshly-roofed Louis Armstrong Stadium we also have a shot clock which was piloted at the US Open qualifiers last year and now the tournament becomes the first grand slam to implement the rule. Players will have 25 seconds in between serves. If that elapses, the chair umpire will issue a warning. The player can be docked a point after a second violation. There is also a restriction of warm-ups, a seven-minute time limit from when the second player step on court, including the toss.
Rafael Nadal is a critic, previously stating it’s a business decision and will be to the detriment of the natural ebb and flow of matches which often leads to the best drama. In July he said: “Seems like sometimes [tennis] is only about the business, so I can’t support this, no. I don’t feel the matches that [made history in] our sport went that quick. I don’t remember emotional matches that the total time of those matches have been two hours. All the matches that have been important in the history of our sport have been four hours, five hours, 3:45.”
Others, such as Andy Murray and Petra Kvitova, feel it’s long overdue to speed up play.
Some recommended reading for you as we tick down to the start of play
Order of play (selected matches)
Arthur Ashe Stadium
from 16:00 BST / 11:00 ET
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x8)
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) v Venus Williams (USA x16)
From midnight / 19:00 ET
Serena Williams (USA x17) v Magda Linette (POL)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) v David Ferrer (ESP)
Louis Armstrong Stadium
From 16:00 BST / 11:00 ET
Simona Halep (ROM x1) v Kaia Kanepi (EST)
Andy Murray (GBR) v James Duckworth (AUS)
Sloane Stephens (USA x3) v Evgeniya Rodina (RUS)
From Midnight BST / 19:00 ET
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK)
Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x3) v Donald Young (USA)
Grandstand
From 17:15 BST (approx.) / 12:15 ET
John Isner (USA x11) v Bradley Klahn (USA)
From 22: 00 BST (approx.) / 19:00 ET
Denis Shapovalov (CAN x28) v Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Court 4
From 17:15 BST (approx.) / 12:15 ET
Heather Watson (GBR) v Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)
Court 10
From 20:30 BST (approx.) / 15:30 ET
Dominic Thiem (AUT x9) v Mirza Basic
Court 13
From 16:00 BST / 11:00 ET
Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) v Kyle Edmund (GBR x16)
Court 17
From 16:00 BST / 11:00 ET
Jack Sock (USA x18) v Guido Andreozzi (ARG)
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x12) v Zhang Shuai (CHN)
Ryan Harrison (USA) v Kevin Anderson (RSA x5)
Preamble
Good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone, wherever you are. Welcome to day one of the US Open. As you’d expect, it’s a pretty packed schedule today featuring defending champions Rafael Nadal and Sloane Stephens, the Williams sisters, Kyle Edmund, Wimbledon and last year’s finalist in New York Kevin Anderson, David Ferrer’s Flushing Meadows swansong, plenty of American interest across both men’s and women’s draws, some NextGen up-and-comers, oh ... and the grand slam return of Andy Murray.
It’s slightly bizarre for an encounter between the world No 382 and world No 448 to hold such interest at this stage of a tournament, but this will be Murray’s first grand slam match since exiting to Sam Querrey in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on July 12, 2017 and only his ninth since that day. That emphasises the level of disruption injuries have had to the former world No 1 in what could be his prime years on tour and also how little of a tune-up he’s had in facing Australia’s James Duckworth. The Aussie knows a thing or to about going under the surgeon’s knife and, although he’s never played Murray, leads him 5-3 in terms of major operations. Duckworth is a solid server and powerful baseliner who will no doubt be looking to move the 31-year-old around the court as much as possible. Murray’s preparation hasn’t been stellar, reaching the quarter-finals at the Citi Open in Washington and losing to Lucas Pouille in three sets in the opening round in Cincinnati, but given what’s he’s coming back from, just negotiating the first week, fit and healthy, should be seen as progress. They’re due second up on Louis Armstrong at around 17:15 BST.
More realistic British hopes come in the form of 16th seed Edmund who opens proceedings on Court 13 against Paolo Lorenzi. The Italian veteran has won just six matches at the US Open over 10 years, five of which being in the last year years. Lorenzi had his best-ever grand slam finish in 2017, reaching the fourth round but is predominantly a clay court specialist who is 5-14 for the year. Australian Open finalist Edmund certainly has the game to go deep in the draw, although his performances in America have been mixed. First round in Toronto, second round in Cincinnati and then quarter-finals at the Winston-Salem Open where he was hammered by Steve Johnson.
There are some potential humdingers up early with eight seed Grigor Dimitrov against Stan Warwrinka on Arthur Ashe at 17:00 BST. Dimitrov leads their head-to-head 4-3 (1-1 on hard courts) but Wawrinka beat him in four sets at the same stage at Wimbledon. Women’s world No 1 Simona Halep is on first at Louis Armstrong Stadium at 16:00 BST in a tricky-ish contest against Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi who was a quarter-finalist last year, but has been inconsistent since. Halep is in the form of her life, is finally a grand slam champion and has won nine of her last 10 matches on hard courts, including a run to the Cincinnati Open final. Venus Williams begins her 20th (TWENTIETH) US Open at 19:00 against fellow veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova, who also knows her way around Flushing Meadows having been here 14 times before.
If it all goes according to plan, Venus will meet sister Serena in the third round, with the winner then potentially facing Halep, but first the younger sister must navigate Poland’s Magna Linette in the last match on Arthur Ashe at around midnight (BST). Serena is, of course, hunting Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles and although she’s lost two of her three matches since her surprise defeat to Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon final has to be among the favourites. Linette has never gone past the first round in New York but is arguably having her best year on tour and did beat world No 19 Naomi Osaka in Washington earlier this month. Still...
Stephens had never got past the fourth round until last year but became the first American since 2002, not from the Williams family, to claim a grand slam when she beat Madison Keys in last year’s final. Results since have been mixed – first round exits in Australia and Wimbledon either side of reaching the final at Roland Garros. She’s just one of those players. But now No 3 in the world and having made the final in Cincinnati will be confident of putting on a show against Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina who beat Keys at Wimbledon before losing to Serena Williams in the fourth found.
Finally, for the latecomers there’s a bit of a treat to close out the schedule on Arthur Ashe at 01:15 (BST) with Nadal taking on Ferrer in the latter’s last ever grand slam as he retires at the end of the year. This will be the 31st meeting, and the first since 2015, between the Spaniards with Nadal dominating his countryman 24-6. They last met at the US Open in 2007 when Ferrer was the victor. World No 1 Nadal is just about the favourite for the men’s title here, although how he and his short-tugging, shirt flapping and hair tucking adapts to the implementation of the 25-second shot clock is a nice early subplot.
