Auger-aliassime, Fernandez both straight-set winners
ANDREESCU GEARS FOR U.S. OPEN 2ND-ROUND CLASH WITH AMERICAN
Canada’s Félix Auger-aliassime, seeded 12th in the men’s draw, won a tight opening set against Bernabe Zapata Miralles before finding his rhythm to beat the Spaniard 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the third round at the U.S. Open on Wednesday.
He next faces No. 18 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side Canada’s Leylah Annie Fernandez beat Kaia Kanepi, of Estonia, 7-5, 7-5 to advance to the third round. She now faces No. 3 seed and last year’s champion Naomi Osaka of Japan, who also won the 2021 Australian Open.
MEDVEDEV MAKES QUICK WORK OF KOEPFER
Russian Daniil Medvedev made quick work of secondround opponent Dominik Koepfer 6-4 6-1 6-2, soaking up the cheers of the crowd to keep his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title alive.
The world No. 2 broke his German opponent’s serve to kick off the match but Koepfer levelled with a break in the seventh game, helped by one of two Medvedev double faults in the opening set.
It was one of a rare few moments of vulnerability for the 25-year-old, who kicked into high gear in the second set, hitting 10 winners in a clinical performance with just five unforced errors.
Medvedev, who went from villain to crowd favourite as the runner-up in 2019, won all but one of his first-serve points in the third set and struck five aces past Koepfer, closing out victory in one hour and 48 minutes.
“I’m really happy to be through in less than two hours,” Medvedev said. “I try to take every match as a new challenge — the more I win throughout my career ... the better I will feel.”
The performance was encouraging for the Cincinnati semifinalist, who picked up his fourth Masters 1000 title last month in Toronto.
Medvedev faces Spain’s Pablo Andujar in the third round.
OSAKA GETS WALKOVER INTO THIRD ROUND
Defending champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round after Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic withdrew ahead of their second-round match due to illness, tournament organizers said.
The Japanese third seed and world No. 145 Danilovic, who was competing in her first U.S. Open main draw, were scheduled to be the day’s second match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I am so sad to have to (withdraw) from my match this morning,” Danilovic wrote on social media.
“I have been feeling unwell these past few days dealing with a NON-COVID related viral illness. I was really looking forward to playing against Naomi on Arthur Ashe Stadium today, but not to be this time.”
Earlier, second seed Aryna Sabalenka notched her 40th win of the season with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek.
The Belarusian took a hard fall in the opening set and kept icing her right hand and wrist during changeovers.
Daria Kasatkina, the 25th seed, rallied from a set down to beat Olympic silver medallist Marketa Vondrousova 3-6 6-4 6-4.
DAVIS NEXT UP FOR ANDREESCU
Bianca Andreescu overcame stomach pain and a stiff challenge from Viktorija Golubic to advance 7-5 4-6 7-5 into the second round, finishing after midnight local time early Wednesday.
Next up for Andreescu is a second-round clash with American Lauren Davis on Thursday.
The 21-year-old Canadian, making her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since she won the tournament in 2019, got all she could handle from the Swiss in the nearly three-hour affair on a hot and humid night.
But the sixth-seeded Andreescu’s seven aces and punishing groundstrokes ultimately proved too much for Golubic.
The Canadian yelled “Come on” and pumped her fist after Golubic sent a forehand wide on match point to seal the win.
Few knew what to expect from Andreescu coming into the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.
After defeating Serena Williams in the 2019 final, Andreescu’s 2020 Grand Slam campaign was written off by injury and sickness that included everything from tearing the meniscus in her left knee to testing positive for COVID-19.
This year, she has managed just one win at a Grand Slam tournament — a firstround victory over Mihaela Buzarnescu at this year’s Australian Open.
That was followed by first-round exits at both the French Open and Wimbledon.
“It’s definitely emotional,” Andreescu said in an on-court interview after the match. “I didn’t play here last year and I honestly didn’t play anything in 2020. I’ve been struggling a lot this past year so for me, I’m just thinking about all those struggles and how it’s all worth it.
“Winning on this court again is just incredible.”
Andreescu needed a medical time out midway through the second set to attend to an upset stomach, but said it turned out to be fine.
“My food was just rumbling in my stomach and I felt like I had to throw up, which is random because I ate like, five hours ago,” she said.
“It was totally fine after a couple games, but it was a little tough.”