Novak Djokovic survives fans, Dane
There was equal parts dominance and drama at the 2021 US Open, with world No. 1s Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty following a trend of seeded success on the stadium courts. But it was more complicated on the busy field courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where No. 9 seed Pablo Carreno Busta became the highest-profile exit of Round 1 after losing a fifthset tiebreak to American qualifier Maxime Cressy.
The Aussie Barty pushed as far as a tiebreak. The reigning Wimbledon champ prevented any further drama by sealing a 6-1, 7-6 win over Vera Zvonareva, taking the breaker, 9-7.
On the men's side, Alexander Zverev, Denis Shapovalov and Matteo Berrettini all advanced, with Italy's Berrettini made to work hardest for a 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 result over France's Jeremy Chardy.
But it was a different story in the nightcaps. The 14thseeded Alex de Minaur was beaten for the first time in five professional meetings with American Taylor Fritz, while 2019 champion and No. 6 seed Bianca Andreescu survived both Viktorija Golubic and a bout of nausea to push through, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.
However, it was a stoic Novak Djokovic faced early resistance in Arthur Ashe Stadium, both from his lean and green opponent and the rowdy fans in attendance, but the World No.1 eventually cleared all hurdles and sped past a cramping Holger Rune, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1, to move six victories from a perfect Grand Slam season.
The 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu, the No. 6 seed, remained undefeated at Flushing Meadows after surging past Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, to book a second round clash with American Lauren Davis.
Osaka advances as opponent withdraws
Naomi Osaka has advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open after her second-round opponent withdrew for medical reasons.
It was inspired tennis that the 18-year-old Dane produced in the second set, and it earned Rune the support of the crowd, who regularly chanted his surname, stretching the syllable wide enough to make it sound like a bona fide Bronx cheer.
“I didn't know what they were chanting honestly. I thought they were booing,” Djokovic would tell the media after the match, adding: “But I've been in these particular atmospheres before, so I knew how to handle it.”
The crowd reached its apex in the second set when Djokovic, now 16-0 in firstround matches at the US Open, momentarily lost the plot while serving at 6-1, 4-3. Moments later the 20-time Slam champion dropped a second-set tiebreak, allowing Rune to draw level at a set apiece.