Alex de Minaur, Australia’s top-ranked men’s tennis player, successfully launched his campaign at the US Open with a commanding straight-sets triumph over Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri. Despite facing delays and a rain-induced two-hour interruption, the seventh-ranked De Minaur managed a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory in his opening match. He now advances to the second round, where he will compete against Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp.
The match saw De Minaur break Guerrieri’s serve twice in each set, conceding his own serve just once throughout the encounter. He wrapped up the match in under two hours of active playtime, navigating the challenges posed by a tight schedule due to ongoing rain in New York. This weather disruption could potentially compel De Minaur to play three matches within three days as he aims for a strong showing in the tournament.
In women’s singles, Australian player Maya Joint put up a commendable fight against ninth seed Elina Svitolina, ultimately falling 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4. Joint made history as the first Australian woman to claim a set against a top-10 opponent at this year’s tournament.
Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Daria Kasatkina faced an early exit after being defeated by Spain’s Paula Badosa, while Taylah Preston was overpowered 6-1, 6-1 by American Taylor Townsend. Additionally, Kim Birrell was ousted by Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, with a match score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.