And that’s it for the day session I’m afraid, with all matches on the outside courts cancelled for today. So Johanna Konta and Dan Evans will have to come back tomorrow, as will many others including Daniil Medvedev and Stan Wawrinka. Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Ashleigh Barty and the American beanpole Reilly Opelka will still get to play in the night session, which begins in just over an hour’s time, but that’s it from me. Thanks for reading, sorry there wasn’t more to discuss. Do join me again tomorrow and we’ll have reports on the late action. Bye!
Updated
Keys beats Zhu 6-4, 6-1
Keys rips a cross-court return winner on the forehand side – where else – to break Zhu and end the Chinese player’s brief resistance. A 30th winner from Keys combined with a Zhu error and it’s 40-15, two match points, and Keys takes the match with a stinging serve, her third ace of the day. She’ll be delighted to get through in straight sets and become only the fifth player to win on this wet and near washed-out Wednesday. “I love playing at my home slam and having an amazing crowd behind me,” says the finalist of two years ago. “I got lucky with the rain so it was a little bit more full. Thanks for coming out to cheer for me.”
I may have spoken too soon. Umbrellas are springing up again as Johanna Konta, having made her way on to Grandstand for a match that should have started six and a half hours ago, heads for cover in the locker room once more. So much for the US Open, this is more like Wimbledon. What a frustrating day. Except for Roger Federer, Kei Nishikori, Elina Svitolina and Karolina Pliskova, the only second-round winners so far. And to that list we can surely soon add Keys, who has dropped serve in the second set but still leads 6-4, 4-1.
Updated
Inconsistency is often Keys’s downfall but the American is looking extremely solid, and the second set appears to be going only one way as Keys charges to 3-0 courtesy of some fearsome forehand strikes. And finally some good news to bring you: despite the very gloomy skies the rain has stopped, the courts are being dried, some of the players are even warming up and we may have some play elsewhere soon.
Updated
Keys shows her experience, stepping it up when it matters to seize the first set 6-4. Meanwhile here’s the order of play for the main courts tomorrow, elsewhere it’ll probably be chaos given the amount of catching up that’ll be taking place:
Arthur Ashe
12pm/5pm BST
Zverev-Tiafoe
Halep-Townsend
7pm/12am BST
Wozniacki-Collins
Kokkinakis-Nadal
Louis Armstrong
11am/4pm BST
Petkovic-Kvitova
Osaka-Linette
Isner-Struff
7pm/12am BST
Gauff-Babos
Stebe-Cilic
Updated
Right I’m back. What have I missed? It’s 4-4 between Madison Keys and Zhu Lin, who’s making her US Open main draw debut this year but is holding her own against the 10th seed. That’s still the only match taking place around Flushing Meadows, as the rain continues to prevent play on the roofless courts. All doubles matches have been suspended for the day, and with the weather forecast for the next few hours rather touch and go, it’s likely most of the singles matches will be postponed until tomorrow.
Updated
After all that excitement, I’m off to get some food. Shortly all eyes will be on Madison Keys, the 2017 finalist who won the biggest title of her career this month in Cincinnati, against China’s Zhu Lin. They’re on Louis Armstrong; unfortunately there’s no indication organisers will move one of the delayed matches from the outside courts to Arthur Ashe.
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Venus showed some incredible fight there, but no consistent level. Impressed by Svitolina, who took more risks the closer she got to the end and deflects pace so well. Those long rallies in the second set were played at such a high pace.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 28, 2019
And what of Federer’s thoughts after that win over Dzumhur?
I just tried to make less errors and be better on the offensive. I was able to protect my serve after a sloppy first set.
There were some big moments, I came through, buckled down and told myself I was not going to get broken, stayed tough and hung with him and that helps with my confidence for the next match.
I’m happy to have the roof here, I remember playing finals on Monday and it was a pleasure today.
I know Danny well, he came to Switzerland to train with me and I played him a few times. Lucas I played him at Wimbledon. I hope they get to play today so they get a day rest tomorrow.
You’re not the only one, Roger. But the weather is still looking pretty horrible.
A relieved Svitolina speaks:
It was an incredible match. Thanks guys even though you didn’t support me. It was one of the best atmospheres I played. It was really special. She’s a big inspiration for everyone.
In the second set I had to stay focused and play every point like it’s the last one. I knew she would raise her level. It was incredibly tough and only a few points divided the match.
I’m sad for the players in the locker room [because of the rain]. I’m lucky to have played.
Updated
Svitolina beats Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4
Williams is drawing on all of her reserves to stay in touch at 30-all on Svitolina’s serve. But here’s a sixth match point. And this time Williams goes long! Svitolina is beaming; Williams drops her head before giving her conqueror a warm smile at the net. Svitolina is delighted to scrape through in two tight sets, as well she should be. That was a cracking match. Williams trudges off court in what, if this was any ordinary 39-year-old, you’d say was her final US Open. But it’s impossible to count her out of next year’s tournament.
Updated
What a crazy, crazy game. Venus saves 5 match points in a 15 minute game and forces Svitolina to serve out the match. Svitolina didn't do much wrong at all.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 28, 2019
After five match points and eight deuces, Williams survives an extraordinary game to hold for 4-5! The 39-year-old sits down wearily in her chair. She’s still in this tournament. But how much has that game taken out of her? Svitolina will serve for the match after the break, which Williams probably wishes would last for 90 minutes rather than 90 seconds.
Updated
Next up for Federer in round three: either Dan Evans (or Danny Evans as Federer calls the Brit in his on-court interview) or the French 25th seed, Lucas Pouille. That match should have been starting around 10 minutes ago but the rain is falling once more.
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Federer defeats Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
A third match point for Svitolina, just as Federer brings up his first. Federer quickly settles matters, before soaking in the applause of the adoring Arthur Ashe crowd. It was another slow start from the third seed, but he’ll be pleased with the way he finished that. There’s no end in sight on Louis Armstrong, however, where Svitolina has seen a fourth and fifth match point go begging.
Updated
.. just as Dzumhur does what he has to on Arthur Ashe by holding serve, to 15. But the match is now on Federer’s racket at 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-4.
An inauspicious start from Williams as another double fault, her fifth of the set, makes it 0-15. She regroups for 40-15. But Svitolina, just as she has done in this set, comes back at her for deuce. And now it’s match point. Williams is sending Svitolina one way and the other ... and Williams peels off the winner! Deuce. Followed by a second match point – just as Dzumhur attempts to hold serve to stay in his contest with Federer, who leads 5-3 in the fourth. Where to look? Louis Armstrong, where an absorbing point is won by Williams when Svitolina, under so much pressure, nets ...
The spectators, so disappointed after the match sprung into life towards the end of the first set and start of the second, are barely applauding Svitolina’s surge as she canters through another service game, this one to love. It’s 5-3 and Williams, having led 3-0 around 20 minutes ago, must hold serve to stay in this tournament.
A hush descends on Louis Armstrong as Svitolina breaks Williams’s resistance for 3-2 and then holds for 3-3. Svitolina has gone into lockdown mode, while Williams, perhaps understandably at the age of 39, is tiring, with her footwork just a step too slow. Another break for Svitolina as Williams tamely double faults and that’s four games in a row for the fifth seed, who’s turned this second set on its head and leads 6-4, 4-3.
Updated
Svitolina steadies for 1-3 in the second as Federer forges a break ahead, 2-1, in the fourth. Federer’s match is the last scheduled in the Arthur Ashe day session, but given there’s been no play on the outside courts because of the continued rain, and the fact there’s more than three hours until the night session begins, perhaps another match will be moved on to the main court. No confirmation of that yet, though.
Updated
I’m not sure there’s a sporting cliche I detest more than “rolling back the years”, so perhaps “vintage Venus” will do instead, as the 39-year-old, 22 years (!) after reaching the US Open final for the first time, has the crowd on their feet as she backs up the break from 0-40 down with a breathtaking rally for 3-0.
Venus recovers from 0-40 down and holds for 3-0 against Svitolina with a 20+ stroke fast-paced rally. The intensity on her face right now is really something.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 28, 2019
Updated
“Coffee delivery for Ms. Williams...
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2019
...........Ms. Williams?”
☕️😂@Venuseswilliams | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/M3gmy1rDra
What of Federer, you say? He’s serving for the third set at 5-3, 30-15, in a match that is now nowhere near as competitive as Williams v Svitolina. Federer brings up a double set point. And he seals it on the first with an ace. Federer, having sent an imposter on to court for the first set, is now bossing the Bosnian, leading Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Updated
Williams is giving away 15 years to her 24-year-old opponent, but you wouldn’t know it as she covers the court like a teenager to sprint to 15-40 on Svitolina’s serve. Williams breaks at the first opportunity to nudge ahead in a set for the first time in this match at 2-0. And it’s no less than she deserves. Game on.
If Venus isn't pictured alongside Agassi in all those Lavazza commercials by the end of the year, something has gone wrong.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) August 28, 2019
Williams, bizarrely, had a cup of coffee brought on to court after the first set, but then promptly went off court for a bathroom break. Venus, your drink is getting cold! She doesn’t even touch it when she returns, perhaps she should have done, because she slumps break point down, 30-40. She won’t want to be broken here, having conceded serve in the first game of the opening set too. Svitolina nets. A tremendous volley from Williams gives her game point and Svitolina blazes into the tramlines. It’s 4-6, 1-0 Williams.
Updated
Dzumhur, meanwhile, flailing at 4-1 down in the third set against Federer, is ailing as he calls the trainer on for treatment to a rib or chest injury. He seems to be in some discomfort while serving, but manages to hold after the resumption for 4-2.
Svitolina sprints to 30-0 but some breathtaking tennis from a stubborn Williams makes it 15-30. Svitolina’s first double fault of the day makes it 30-all. Her boyfriend, Gael Monfils, looks a little uncomfortable in the stands. But a smart slice serve from Svitolina and she’s got a fourth chance to seal this set. And Williams finally surrenders when her shot flies well beyond the baseline! Svitolina secures the first set 6-4 after 55 minutes but Williams gave her plenty to think about in that absorbing denouement.
Updated
But Williams quickly undoes all of her good work when she slumps 15-40 down on serve. Two set points. Svitolina – on the run – hits well out on the first, and is blown away by some powerful hitting from Williams on the second. Williams grits her teeth, you can see how much this is taking out of her, and she promptly double faults. Set point number three. The pair trade several backhands, before Svitolina’s effort whistles wide. Deuce. Advantage Williams. And Svitolina’s return is long! A relieved Williams looks to the skies. Or more accurately the Louis Armstrong roof. She’s still standing in this set at 5-4 down but Svitolina will get another chance to serve for it.
Williams gets to 0-30. Svitolina reduces her deficit to 15-30 but Williams’s higher spin catches her off-guard and she nets. 15-40. So a couple of chances for Williams to get one of the breaks back. Williams, with a sleeve on her right arm a la Kyrgios and Raonic of old, plays two messy shots and it’s deuce. She chastises herself, which is rare to see. She’s usually so calm on court, you’d have no idea if she’d just won or lost the point. But it does the job. Here’s a third break point. Again Svitolina stands firm, but it’s soon Williams’s advantage once more, and this time Williams gets the breakthrough after a prolonged baseline duel! It’s 5-3 Svitolina.
Svitolina is refusing to let go of that opening-game break against Venus Williams and leads 4-2. And here’s a chance to take a real stranglehold on the set as she carves out another break point. Svitolina seizes on it and she’ll step up after the changeover to serve for the set at 5-2.
Updated
Dan Evans’s second-round match against Lucas Pouille has been moved from second on Court 13 to first on Court 12. So when – or perhaps that should be if – play begins on the roofless courts, Evans will in action at the same time as Johanna Konta. The latest word from organisers is that there’ll be no play away from Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong before 4pm New York time/9pm BST.
John McEnroe, after Greg Rusedski’s Mystic Meg act earlier, ponders how many grand slams the Big Three are going to end up with. “22 Djokovic, 21 or 20 for Federer, 21 or 22 for Nadal,” he predicts, before saying Djokovic is his “slight favourite” for the all-time record. But back to more immediate matters. Federer gets to three set points on Dzumhur’s serve in the blink of an eye. And Dzumhur concedes the set meekly, with his second double fault of the game. Federer, after losing the first set 6-3, has won the second 6-2.
Updated
Elina Svitolina and Venus Williams are under way on Louis Armstrong in their intriguing encounter. Svitolina, who finally made her grand slam breakthrough at Wimbledon where she reached the semi-finals, has the look of a woman who means business, racing into a 2-0 lead against the 2000 and 2001 champion, who’s playing in her 21st US Open. Even the GOAT – who’s now 4-2 ahead against Dzumhur, by the way – can’t beat that record. Williams gets on the board for 2-1 and is pushing hard on Svitolina’s serve, but the Ukrainian fifth seed holds firm for 3-1 after three deuces.
Federer has Dzumhur on a piece of string on the third point of the fourth game, and the spectators are lapping it up. I doubt Dzumhur is. The Bosnian, however, leads 30-15, and the diminutive 27-year-old jumps into a backhand and drills it down the line for 40-15. Dzumhur looks well set to take his first game of the set but a double fault combined with a netted effort and it’s Federer’s advantage. Federer can’t, however, secure the double break and Dzumhur takes the next three points. It’s 3-6, 3-1 Federer.
Federer, with that late momentum from the last game, sprints to 0-40 on Dzumhur’s serve. Some net charging from Dzumhur reduces his arrears to 30-40 but the third break point is a charm for Federer, who has come from break point down in the previous game to break for 2-0. Make that 3-0, as Federer finally glides through the gears and reduces his unforced error count.
Another unforced error flies off the Federer racket and here’s another break point for Dzumhur at 30-40 in the opening game of the second set. Federer could do with a first serve to get him out of trouble but he can’t land it. The second one goes in, a lengthy point plays out, arguably the best of the match ... and Dzumhur drills into the net! That picks the crowd up a bit, who’ve been fairly subdued so far. I wonder how much of a factor that is for Federer, who’s far more used to playing in front of a buzzing night crowd. Federer steadies himself from deuce and holds for his first lead in a set in this match.
Dzumhur is serving for the first set at 5-3. The Bosnian slips 0-15 down but takes the next point and immediately demands the same ball back. And it does the trick. 30-15. 40-15. Game and set to the world No 99! It’s the first set Dzumhur’s taken off Federer in three meetings. This is like the first round all over again for the five-times champion.
Updated
Dzumhur isn’t an ideal opponent for an opponent out of touch. He doesn’t have a huge amount of firepower but what he lacks in size he makes up for in heart and he’s happy to scrap and mix up the play. That said, Federer appears to be finding his feet, and gets his first couple of games on the board for 4-2.
Well, well. There’s the double break. Dzumhur leads 4-zip. Meanwhile Nishikori has refocused after being broken while serving for the match at 5-3, and he’s completed a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Klahn on Louis Armstrong. It was hardly the most convincing of wins, but nonetheless, he’s the first man to put a W by his name today as this pesky rain continues to hit the schedule.
Updated
Federer started hesitantly in the first round, dropping the opening set to the 190th-ranked Sumit Nagal, and he’s slow out of the blocks here, conceding serve in the second game to trail 2-0. The five-times champion, who turned 38 a few weeks ago, has played only two matches since that letting that epic Wimbledon final slip away from two championship points up. It this rustiness or scar tissue from that defeat to Novak Djokovic? We’ll see, but a ninth unforced error from Federer allows Dzumhur to get to 3-0 and Federer’s soon 0-30 down on serve.
Remember these are the only two matches taking place at Flushing Meadows, with the rain still drumming down and delaying Johanna Konta’s second-round meeting with Margarita Gasparyan. What a difference a year makes, eh? This time 12 months ago we were talking about the stifling heat and humidity in New York. The rain could persist for much of today, but the forecast is much better from tomorrow onwards.
Updated
The good news for Nishikori is that he’s serving for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set. The bad news is he’s won only two of the last 10 points. And that record doesn’t get any better as he slides 15-40 down, giving the home player two break points. Klahn capitalises and they’re back on serve, with Nishikori 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 5-4 ahead.
Pliskova’s win means here come Roger Federer and the bearded Bosnian Damir Dzumhur on to Arthur Ashe. Will Federer be put off by having to play in the day session? He’s not had to do that too many times over the years. Mind you, given how gloomy it is today, it almost feels as if it’s the evening. And he’ll be happy the roof is on, he’s such a dangerous player indoors.
Updated
Pliskova beats Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-4
Pliskova is set to become the first player through to round three but Nishikori is doing his best to push her close. He’s ripping through the games in the fourth set and leads Klahn 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 3-0. And here’s Pliskova with a match point on serve, to add to the one she had on Bolkvadze’s in the previous game. Bolkvadze’s choppy return flies high into the air and lands wide in the tramlines. Pliskova celebrates, as does her coach and former Wimbledon champion, Conchita Martinez. Apart from one loose service game, that was an impressive display from the third seed.
Updated
Pliskova, now 5-3 ahead, brings up match point at 30-40 on Bolkvadze’s serve. Bolkvadze bashes down her best serve of the day – what a time to do it – and Pliskova nets. Deuce. And Bolkvadze comes through from there and lives to fight another day! Or more accurately, probably, another game, because Pliskova will come out after the changeover and serve for the match.
Svitolina should be tested by Venus today. At 39, the 2000 and 2001 champion perhaps doesn’t have what it takes to go all the way any more, but is still more than capable of pulling off a result. Roger Federer, meanwhile, will follow Pliskova on Arthur Ashe, and that should be fairly soon because Pliskova, despite dropping serve early in the second set, has broken Bolkvadze both literally and figuratively in a tortuous game and now leads 6-1, 4-2.
“I think Elina Svitolina is going to get her first major,” emails Cory Knights. Yes Svitolina is definitely a name to add to the list of contenders, especially after her long-awaited breakthrough at Wimbledon, where she reached the semi-finals of a slam for the first time, before being beaten by the eventual champion, Simona Halep. Svitolina, the fifth seed, could takes on Venus Williams on Louis Armstrong today, after Nishikori v Klahn. Nishikori has re-established order there and is serving for a two sets to one lead, at 6-2, 4-6, 5-3. Klahn clunks long and Nishikori bags the set.
Updated
Kyrgios backtracks:
I want to clarify a couple of things.... pic.twitter.com/wRCWcj3tJc
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 28, 2019
Who do you think could go all the way? Serena Williams was the most impressive in round one, marmalising Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 in the latest instalment of their fiercest of (un)rivalries, but questions remain about her fitness. Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep all needed three sets to advance but have the pedigree to go all the way, as does Petra Kvitova – if fit. And Bianca Andreescu and Madison Keys surely have to be in the mix after their title wins in Toronto and Cincinnati respectively. We’ll get another look at Williams, Barty and Keys today. Remember you can get in touch with any predictions or predilections via email or Twitter.
Updated
Pliskova is rolling today, but what of the other women’s title favourites so far this week? They’ve been a model of consistency – which is not something I’ve typed often during the past few years – with all top 10 seeds reaching round two. However Sloane Stephens, the 2017 champion and 11th seed, was stunned under the lights last night, losing 6-3, 6-4 to the Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya. It’s been a fairly frustrating grand slam season for the inconsistent American, who rehired her former coach Kamau Murray only days before the Open. Perhaps that will help salvage the rest of her year.
Bolkvadze is a bundle of nerves in front of a smattering of fans on a gloomy, roof-covered Arthur Ashe, and the left-hander wobbles down three consecutive double faults to give Pliskova the chance to break for a 5-1 lead in the opening set. Pliskova makes no mistakes. And then does what Bolkvadze can’t, delivering an accomplished service game to take the first set 6-1 in 20 minutes.
Updated
We’re hearing there’ll be no play on the roofless courts – including Grandstand where Johanna Konta is due to kick off the schedule – until at least 1pm local time/6pm BST. Meanwhile in sunnier climes, Andy Murray has a day off in Mallorca – and, according to the BBC’s Russell Fuller, has been loaned Rafa’s boat. Murray will play his third-round match at Nadal’s Challenger event tomorrow.
It could be game on between Nishikori and Klahn, who has scrambled from a break down to put himself within one game of the second set. Nishikori is serving, trailing 5-4, 30-15 ... make that 40-15, two set points. Klahn chops his return back, Nishikori charges to the net ... and Klahn pulls off the pass to level at one set all! Klahn is roaring, while Nishikori scurries off court for a quick break.
ATP statement on Nick Kyrgios comments: "The comments made by Nick Kyrgios after his first round match in New York will be assessed under the Player Major Offense provision under ATP Rules." 1/2
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) August 28, 2019
2/2 "A determination will be made by Gayle David Bradshaw, Executive Vice President, Rules & Competition, following an investigation as required by ATP rules."
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) August 28, 2019
It’s a wonder Bolkvadze can move out there, but she skips to the baseline to receive Pliskova’s serve, which is one of the strongest in the women’s game. Pliskova, seeded third this year, opens with an assured hold to 15, rounding things off with two consecutive aces.
Updated
With Nishikori still a break up in the second set against Klahn, leading 6-2, 4-2, the tall figure of Karolina Pliskova, perhaps the best female player not to win a grand slam (is there a more backhanded compliment in tennis?), has arrived on Arthur Ashe. The 2016 finalist is taking on the Georgian qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze, who’s half-mummified in tape, with her right thigh, left calf and left ankle heavily strapped.
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My understanding is that based on last night's comments, the ATP is opening a second and separate investigation into Kyrgios for a potential major offense, this one for "conduct contrary to the integrity of the game" https://t.co/t4GAduNqJt
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) August 28, 2019
Disappointment for those looking forward to Borna Coric v Grigor Dimitrov later. Coric has withdrawn because of a lower back strain. But the Croatian’s misfortune is Dimitrov’s gain and, given the Bulgarian’s horrendous form this summer, he’ll gratefully take all the help he can get.
Borna Coric has withdrawn due to a low back strain.
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2019
Revised Schedule
1. Opelka vs Koepfer is moved to Armstrong 2nd after Davis vs Barty
2. Brooksby vs Basilashvili is moved to 4th on Court 17#USOpen pic.twitter.com/pCSmT55FfE
Updated
Klahn is adopting a similar tactic to Nishikori on serve, going for speed at the expense of precision. He’s just not landing enough of them and here are three break points for Nishikori at 1-1 in the second set. Klahn fist pumps not once, not twice but thrice, after saving all of them. Deuce. But another break point opportunity soon arises for Nishikori, and a bullet of a backhand return seals it. It’s 6-2, 2-1 Nishikori.
Nishikori didn’t exactly get into his serving groove in the first set, with his first-serve percentage down at a lowly 35%, but he’s taken it nonetheless, 6-2 against Klahn.
Updated
Karen Khachanov, the rising Russian who pushed Rafael Nadal close in New York last year, was another big seed to fall yesterday, meaning four of the men’s top 10 are out. Will this be yet another slam where the Big Three reign supreme and the young guns (some of whom are more like middle-aged guns now) fail to fire? Daniil Medvedev’s form suggests he’s the best-placed of the Next Gen to challenge Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. The 23-year-old Russian won the Cincinnati title a week and a half ago, after reaching the finals in Washington and Montreal. But will all those matches catch up with him? His hamstring was bothering him during his first-round win, and the fifth seed’s second on Grandstand today against the Bolivian Hugo Dellien.
If Kyrgios can hold it together this fortnight – and it’s a big if – he has an excellent chance of reaching the semi-finals, given the only seeds left in his decimated quarter of the draw are Gael Monfils and Matteo Berrettini, following the defeats of Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Roberto Bautista Agut, Felix Auger Aliassime and Kyle Edmund yesterday.
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Speaking of Kyrgios ... another day and another Kyrgios in hot water story. He’s put himself at risk of a suspension by the ATP after calling the governing body corrupt for fining him a record $113,000 following his sweary/racket smashing/umpire berating meltdown in Cincinnati this month. His comments came after his first-round win over Steve Johnson last night, during which, after Kyrgios received a code violation for an audible obscenity, his exasperated American opponent asked: “Do you want to play fucking tennis or host a shit show?” Kyrgios went on to win 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-4.
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Martina Navratilova’s a brave lady. Having been in the line of Nick Kyrgios’s fire the other day for sharing her thoughts on the Australian firebrand, she’s at it again. “Don’t look at me,” she jokes on Amazon Prime when asked about his coaching options. “I’m not sure he respects anybody. Certainly Roger if he was coaching he’d be listening to him. He needs help off the court. That’s clear.”
We’ve got some tennis! Nishikori, the seventh seed, is under way against the 29-year-old American Bradley Klahn, who hasn’t been beyond the first round of a slam since the US Open in 2014, when Nishikori reached the final. So this could be another straightforward day for Nishikori, who had an easy time of it in the first round, with his opponent Marco Trungelliti retiring injured. Nishikori’s in the early ascendancy, leading 2-1 with the break.
Updated
Greg Rusedski is talking on t’telly. He reckons Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will both overtake Roger Federer’s overall grand slam record. Rusedski’s gazed into his crystal ball and predicts Djokovic will finish top on 23 major titles (seven more than the defending champion currently has), with Nadal collecting three more to end his career on 21, with Federer remaining on 20. It’s a big call to say Djokovic will win another seven, but the world No 1 has time and fitness on his side, and who’s coming through to challenge him?
Just as I was about to type that it’s stopped raining at Flushing Meadows, it’s started again. Gah. There’ll be no play on the outside courts until at least midday local time/5pm BST, while Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong – the two courts with roofs – will stick to their schedules. Karolina Pliskova will start on Ashe in an hour’s time, while we’re just waiting for Kei Nishikori and Bradley Klahn to step on to Armstrong.
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Wednesday's order of play
Arthur Ashe Stadium
12pm (5pm BST) Mariam Bolkvadze (Geo) v (3) Karolina Pliskova (Cze), (3) Roger Federer (Swi) v Damir Dzumhur (Bih), (1) Novak Djokovic (Ser) v Juan Ignacio Londero (Arg), (8) Serena Williams (USA) v Catherine McNally (USA)
Louis Armstrong Stadium
11am (4pm BST) Bradley Klahn (USA) v (7) Kei Nishikori (Jpn), (5) Elina Svitolina (Ukr) v Venus Williams (USA), Lin Zhu (Chn) v (10) Madison Keys (USA), Lauren Davis (USA) v (2) Ashleigh Barty (Aus), (12) Borna Coric (Cro) v Grigor Dimitrov (Bul)
Grandstand
11am (4pm BST) (16) Johanna Konta (Gbr) v Margarita Gasparyan (Rus), Hugo Dellien (Bol) v (5) Daniil Medvedev (Rus), (23) Stan Wawrinka (Swi) v Jeremy Chardy (Fra), (20) Sofia Kenin (USA) v Laura Siegemund (Ger)
Court 4
11am (4pm BST) Adrian Mannarino (Fra) & Gilles Simon (Fra) v (3) Raven Klaasen (Rsa) & Michael Venus (Nzl), Bianca Vanessa Andreescu (Can) & Sharon Fichman (Can) v Whitney Osuigwe (USA) & Taylor Townsend (USA), Karolina Muchova (Cze) v (29) Su-Wei Hsieh (Tpe), Marcus Daniell (Nzl) & Kenneth Skupski (Gbr) v Marius Copil (Rom) & Nick Kyrgios (Aus), Eri Hozumi (Jpn) & Makoto Ninomiya (Jpn) v Alexa Guarachi (Chi) & Bernarda Pera (USA)
Court 5
11am (4pm BST) (31) Christian Garin (Chi) v Alex De Minaur (Aus), Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rus) v (33) Shuai Zhang (Chn), (30) Maria Sakkari (Gre) v Shuai Peng (Chn), Jenson Brooksby (USA) v (17) Nikoloz Basilashvili (Geo)
Court 6
11am (4pm BST) Luke Bambridge (Gbr) & Ben McLachlan (Jpn) v Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (USA) & Noah Rubin (USA), Jennifer Brady (USA) & Alison Riske (USA) v Raluca Olaru (Rom) & Zhaoxuan Yang (Chn), (4) Pierre-Hugues Herbert (Fra) & Nicolas Mahut (Fra) v Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Denis Shapovalov (Can), (1) Timea Babos (Hun) & Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) v Jessica Moore (Aus) & Giuliana Olmos (Mex), (8) Marcel Granollers (Spa) & Horacio Zeballos (Arg) v Sander Gille (Bel) & Joran Vliegen (Bel)
Court 7
11am (4pm BST) (4) Latisha Chan (Tpe) & Ivan Dodig (Cro) v Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez (Spa) & Neal Skupski (Gbr), Simona Halep (Rom) & Horia Tecau (Rom) v (2) Gabriela Dabrowski (Can) & Mate Pavic (Cro), Hubert Hurkacz (Pol) & Vasek Pospisil (Can) v (7) Bob Bryan (USA) & Mike Bryan (USA), Nicholas Monroe (USA) & Tennys Sandgren (USA) v Radu Albot (Mol) & Malek Jaziri (Tun), Kristie Ahn (USA) & Christina McHale (USA) v Hailey Baptiste (USA) & Emma Navarro (USA)
Court 8
11am (4pm BST) (9) Nikola Mektic (Cro) & Franko Skugor (Cro) v John-Patrick Smith (Aus) & Jordan Thompson (Aus), (9) Nicole Melichar (USA) & Kveta Peschke (Cze) v Nao Hibino (Jpn) & Miyu Kato (Jpn), Marco Cecchinato (Ita) & Andreas Seppi (Ita) v Pablo Andujar (Spa) & Fernando Verdasco (Spa), Jozef Kovalik (Svk) & Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spa) v Robert Lindstedt (Swe) & Philipp Oswald (Aut)
Court 9
11am (4pm BST) Lara Arruabarrena (Spa) & Kaitlyn Christian (USA) v (12) Ying-Ying Duan (Chn) & Saisai Zheng (Chn), Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) & Sabrina Santamaria (USA) v Francesca Di Lorenzo (USA) & Ann Li (USA), Roman Jebavy (Cze) & Matwe Middelkoop (Ned) v (13) Robin Haase (Ned) & Wesley Koolhof (Ned), (11) Kirsten Flipkens (Bel) & Johanna Larsson (Swe) v Viktoria Kuzmova (Svk) & Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr)
Court 10
11am (4pm BST) Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) v Fiona Ferro (Fra), Feliciano Lopez (Spa) v Yoshihito Nishioka (Jpn), Rebecca Peterson (Swe) v (32) Dayana Yastremska (Ukr), Pablo Carreno-Busta (Spa) v Ricardas Berankis (Lit)
Court 11
11am (4pm BST) Desirae Krawczyk (USA) & Jessica Pegula (USA) v Caroline Dolehide (USA) & Vania King (USA), Ryan Harrison (USA) & Sam Querrey (USA) v (10) Rajeev Ram (USA) & Joe Salisbury (Gbr), Pablo Cuevas (Uru) v Kamil Majchrzak (Pol), Alexander Bublik (Kaz) & John Millman (Aus) v Evan King (USA) & Hunter Reese (USA)
Court 12
11am (4pm BST) Usue Maitane Arconada (USA) & Hayley Carter (USA) v Nadiia Kichenok (Ukr) & Abigail Spears (USA), (16) Raquel Atawo (USA) & Asia Muhammad (USA) v Daria Kasatkina (Rus) & Anett Kontaveit (Est), Miomir Kecmanovic (Ser) v Paolo Lorenzi (Ita), Abigail Forbes (USA) & Alexa Noel (USA) v Viktorija Golubic (Swi) & Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spa)
Court 13
11am (4pm BST) Ons Jabeur (Tun) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr), Daniel Evans (Gbr) v (25) Lucas Pouille (Fra), Iga Swiatek (Pol) v (12) Anastasija Sevastova (Lat), Gregoire Barrere (Fra) v (15) David Goffin (Bel)
Court 14
11am (4pm BST) Hugo Nys (Mon) & Divij Sharan (Ind) v Roberto Carballes Baena (Spa) & Federico Delbonis (Arg), (16) Oliver Marach (Aut) & Jurgen Melzer (Aut) v Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) & Andrey Rublev (Rus), Andres Molteni (Arg) & Igor Zelenay (Svk) v Leonardo Mayer (Arg) & Joao Sousa (Por), Anna Blinkova (Rus) & Yafan Wang (Chn) v (4) Elise Mertens (Bel) & Aryna Sabalenka (Blr)
Court 15
11am (4pm BST) Austin Krajicek (USA) & Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) v Laslo Djere (Ser) & Janko Tipsarevic (Ser), (14) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukr) & Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) v Kateryna Kozlova (Ukr) & Anastasia Potapova (Rus), Marcelo Arevalo (Esa) & Jonny O’Mara (Gbr) v Benoit Paire (Fra) & Mischa Zverev (Ger), (5) Anna-Lena Groenefeld (Ger) & Demi Schuurs (Ned) v Alize Cornet (Fra) & Fiona Ferro (Fra)
Court 17
11am (4pm BST) Alison Van Uytvanck (Bel) v (18) Qiang Wang (Chn), (22) Petra Martic (Cro) v Ana Bogdan (Rom), Denis Kudla (USA) v (27) Dusan Lajovic (Ser), Reilly Opelka (USA) v Dominik Koepfer (Ger)
Preamble
Good morning/afternoon/evening depending on your worldly whereabouts and welcome to our coverage of the US Open. So much for New York, it’s more like Old York on day three, with the Williams sisters, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – boasting a combined age of 146 and 66 grand slam titles between them – the headline acts as the second round gets under way.
It’s the night session for Djokovic and Serena, and the day for Federer and Venus who, appearing in her 21st Open a year short of her 40th birthday, will be the underdog against the Wimbledon semi-finalist and fifth seed, Elina Svitolina. That could be one of the matches of the day on the women’s side, where the French Open champion, Ashleigh Barty, the once world No 1 Karolina Pliskova and the in-form Cincinnati winner, Madison Keys, play too.
After Kyle Edmund’s grand slam season came to a disappointing end yesterday, British hopes rest with Johanna Konta and Dan Evans. Konta was due to open on Grandstand in just over 10 minutes’ time but unfortunately the weather isn’t behaving and she’ll be delayed by rain. When the British No 1 does get on she’ll face her second consecutive Russian opponent in Margarita Gasparyan, while Evans, after scrapping and snarling his way past Adrian Mannarino in the first round, has another tricky French test against the world No 27, Lucas Pouille.
Elsewhere we’ll get another look at the man of the hard-court summer, Daniil Medvedev, the 2016 champion, Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 runner-up, Kei Nishikori, and what could be a tasty encounter between the talented Croatian Borna Coric and Grigor Dimitrov – as long as the old Grigor Dimitrov turns up. The new Grigor Dimitrov has had an awful year and hasn’t managed to string more than two successive wins together since the Australian Open back in January.
Play was due to begin: at 11am New York time/4pm BST but it looks as if the only action we’ll have is Nishikori against the American Bradley Klahn under the Louis Armstrong roof.
Updated
