Defending champion Novak Djokovic on Monday eased into the second round of the US Open with a straight-sets victory over qualifier Radu Albot as Coco Gauff launched her defense of the women’s title with a convincing victory.
Djokovic, seeking his 25th Grand Slam title and his first since his victory at Flushing Meadows last year, was not his sharpest self, but he was more than a match for 138th-ranked Albot, breaking the Moldovan six times on the way to a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory.
He notched a men’s record 78th match win at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where he said the “electric” energy of the night session was unlike any other.
Photo: AP
“The night sessions here are best in the world,” said Djokovic, who capped the action on a day that drew a record 74,641 spectators, the US Tennis Association said.
However, the 37-year-old also bemoaned the late night start to their two-hour, seven-minute contest that ended shortly after midnight.
“Well, I don’t think that aging helps really staying so late and playing very late,” he told reporters. “I can feel, you know, my batteries are low now. I’m shutting down.”
Gauff powered into the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over France’s Varvara Gracheva.
The 20-year-old American fired 10 aces and needed just 66 minutes to beat 66th-ranked Gracheva. She saved eight break points — including two with aces in the final game.
“It is definitely a lot of pressure this tournament, but I’m just enjoying it,” said Gauff, who is seeded third behind world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. “Last year was incredible, so I’m just bringing those vibes and whatever happens, happens.”
American Ben Shelton opened the action on Ashe with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 2020 champion Dominic Thiem.
Shelton’s triumph marked an end to Thiem’s Grand Slam career, the Austrian having announced he would retire at the end of this season after several injury-plagued seasons.
“I just want to say thanks for all the support,” Thiem told fans. “It’s been 10 years since I first played here, I had my greatest success on this court.”
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany needed four sets to get past lucky loser Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2, while sixth-seeded Andrey Rublev beat Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 and eighth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway advanced with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-2 win over China’s Bu Yunchaokete.
Ruud next faces French veteran Gael Monfils, who beat Diego Schwartzman 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in the Argentinian’s final Grand Slam appearance as he heads into retirement.
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon, while Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, seeded eighth, eased into the second round with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera.
Olympic women’s singles gold medalist Zheng Qinwen of China, seeded seventh, rallied from a set down to beat Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Women’s doubles are set to start today with Australian Open winners and second seeds Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and Belgian partner Elise Mertens to face France’s Kristina Mladenovic and China’s Zhang Shuai in the round of 64.
Tenth seeds Chan Hao-ching of Taiwan and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia are to play Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Denmark’s Clara Tauson, while Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Australia’s Olivia Gadecki are to face Camila Osorio of Colombia and Alycia Parks of the US.
In mixed doubles this week, Hsieh and Polish partner Jan Zielinski, who together won the Australia Open mixed doubles title this year, are to play Americans Rajeev Ram and Katie Volynets, while Chan is to play with Krajicek Austin of the US against Australia’s Matthew Ebden and Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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